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tihvavy  of C^he  theological  ^eminarjp 

PRINCETON    .   NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 


Professor  A.  A.  Hodge 
March  3,  1922 


BV  3265  .W54  1861   c 2 
Wilder,  Royal  Gould,  1816- 

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Mission  schools  m  India  ot 
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MlSS10i\    SCHOOLS 


IN 


INDIA 


OF    TUE 


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FOU 


FOREIGN    MISSIONS, 


WITH  SKETCHES  OF  THE  MISSIONS  AMONG  THE   NOKTH   AMERICAN 

INDIANS,  THE    SANDWICH    ISLANDS,  THE  AiOfENIANS  OF 

TURKEY,    AND   THE   NESTORIANS    Ol'    PERSIA. 


/ 
By    Rev.    R.    G.    WILDER, 

FIFTEEN   YEARS  MISSIOSA  m'   OF  THE   BOARD. 


"Go   TE   THEREFORE,    AND   TEACH   ALL   NATIONS." Matt.    18  :    19. 

"  Gather  the  Children." — Joel  2  :  16. 


PUBLISHED    BY    SUBSCRIPTION. 


A.D.     F.     RANDOLPH,     683     BROADWAY 


BOSTON  :     CROCKER    &    BREWSTER, 

18C1. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1861,  by 

Rev.   R.    G.   WILDER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New-York. 


JOHN   A.   GRAY, 

PHnter,  Stereotype}',  and  Binder, 

Corner  of   Frankfort  and  Jacob  Streets, 

FIRE-PROOF   BUILDINGS. 


TO      THE 

FOR 

IT-OREIGJ^IS-     ]N^ISSI0  1S"S; 
THE    OBJECT    OF   UNBOUNDED    ADMIRATION    IN    MY    EARLY    LIFE, 

AND  OF 

SINCERE     AND      ABIDING      AFFECTION 

DURING  ALL    THE 

YEARS     OF      MT      MISSIOXARY     SERVIOEj 


THIS    V.'OBK     IS 


BBSPECTFULLY  DEDICATED  BY  THE 


PREFACE. 


When  I  went  to  India,  fifteen  years  ago,  I  had  no  distinct 
views  in  regard  to  the  different  agencies  employed  in  the  mis- 
biionary  work.  "When  I  looked  down  for  the  first  time  from 
the  Highlands  near  the  village  of  Tas,  upon  the  broad  and 
fertile  plain  of  Ahmednuggur  dotted  with  beautiful  villages, 
the  morning  sun  glancing  gloriously  from  the  white  domes  of 
their  numerous  temples  thronged  with  idolatrous  worshippers, 
the  one  passion  and  purpose  of  my  soul  was  to  win  as  many  of 
them  as  possible  to  Christ.  I  knew  nothing  of  "  mission  poli- 
cy," but  our  blessed  commission. 

A  joyful  welcome  awaited  us  from  our  elder  brethren,  and 
the  next  day  they  committed  to  me  the  care  of  the  mission 
seminary  at  Ahmednuggur.  They  soon  added  to  my  duties 
the  city  free  schools,  and  subsequently  the  free  schools  in  the 
villages.  This  system  of  schools  had  been  devised  and  pro- 
secuted for  many  years,  and  I  can  claim  no  credit  or  responsi- 
bility in  regard  to  its  origin  or  adoption.  I  engaged  in  such 
duties  as  were  committed  to  me.  I  watched  the  working  and 
results  of  these  schools  with  increasing  interest  and  much  care. 
I  observed  their  special  power  for  good,  in  accomplishing  the 
salvation  of  souls.  I  became  convinced  of  the  wisdom  of  my 
brethren  who  had  devised  and  adopted  them.  Hence,  when 
in  1854,  I  saw  their  views  lorested  or  disalloioed^  and  these 
schools  suppressed,  I  grieved  for  their  loss. 

The  question  involved  in  the  use  of  these  schools  is  vital  to 
the  success  of  our  missionary  work.  My  love  for  this  work 
has  led  me  to  prepare  this  volume,  with  the  earnest  hope  that 
by  helpmg  to  right  views,  it  may  contribute  to  our  success, 
and  the  more  speedy  triumph  of  the  Gospel  in  India  and  every 
•lark  land. 


vi  PKEFAGE, 

This  work  is  not  designed  to  be  controversial,  but  historical. 
I  have  spoken  freely  of  our  able  Deputation  to  India,  and  the 
changes  they  eflected,  but  only  so  far  as  necessary  to  be  true 
to  the  facts  of  history.  Should  any  reader,  by  a  bare  possibili- 
ty, think  I  have  said  too  much  of  the  Deputation,  let  him  bear 
in  mind  that  he  knows  not  how  much  I  have  left  unsaid.  Let 
him  also  compare  this  with  the  larger  volume  which  the  Depu- 
tation published,  embodying  and  enforcing  their  views  and 
the  changes  they  effected  in  India. 

This  volume  does  not  so  much  represent  my  own  views  as 
it  does  the  views  of  my  brethren  in  the  foreign  field,  and  of 
the  officers  of  the  American  Board.  Its  chief  aim  is  to  gather 
up  the  most  important  facts^  incidents^  and  results  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  mission  schools.  In  doing  this  it  sometimes  brings 
to  view  the  discouraging  details  and  patient,  persevering  toil 
involved  in  this  work  of  missions,  but  it  also  brings  to  view 
the  rich  and  abundant  blessing  which  God  has  bestowed  upon 
such  toil.  Many  pages  will  be  found  to  develop  the  results  of 
our  schools,  in  scenes  and  events  as  precious  and  glorious  as 
those  of  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

In  my  efforts  to  let  facts  and  the  views  of  others  rest  on 
their  authority  rather  than  mine,  and  at  the  same  time  avoid 
cumbering  my  page  with  references  and  foot-notes,  I  have  used 
frequent  quotations.  These  may  have  interfered  somewhat 
with  a  forcible  style,  but  if  so,  it  is  hoped  the  ready  authority 
they  carry  will  furnish  ample  compensation. 

Discrepancies  and  errors  in  dates  may  exist ;  but  so  far  as 
a  most  laborious  and  patient  examination  of  manuscript  and 
printed  reports  and  letters  from  the  missions,  and  of  the  or- 
gans of  the  Board,  could  avail,  all  errors  have  been  guarded 
against  with  scrupulous  care. 

On  the  20th  of  last  December,  I  was  about  to  engage  an 
immediate  passage  to  India.  Delayed  a  few  months  by  an 
event  beyond  our  control,  I  have  sought  in  this  volume  to 
make  it  accrue  to  the  benefit  of  the  cause  we  love  and  to 
which  we  have  devoted  our  lives.  Impatient  of  further  delay, 
we  now  hasten  back  to  our  adopted  home  and  field  of  labor  in 
the  dark  kingdom  of  Kolapoor.  R.  G.  Wilder. 

New-Tork,  March  Uh^  1861. 


COjSTTEISrTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction, 11 

CHAPTER  I. 

THEORY    OF    MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

Origin  and  Object  of  the  American  Board, 19 

Schools  and  Oral  Preaching  one  in  Aim, 20 

Difficulty  of  communicating  Christian  Truth  to  Heathen  Minds, 21 

Views  of  Dr.  Anderson  on  this  point, 22 

Necessity  of  Schools  from  the  Character  of  Heathenism, 2;5 

Schools  necessary  to  procure  a  Stated  Audience, 27 

Value  of  Curiosity  in  securing  Hearers, 27 

Self-interest  the  only  Controlling  Motive, 28 

Available  by  Furnishing  Employment,  Medicine,  Alms, 28 

Education  appeals  to  the  Worthiest  Motives  and  Better  Classes, 29 

Schools  remove  Ignorance  and  lay  Stable  Foundations, 30 

Schools  conciliate  the  People, 31 

Practice  of  European  Missionaries, 34 

Views  of  the  Rev.  David  Green,  late  Secretary  of  the  Board, 35 

CHAPTER  11. 

DIFFERENT    KINDS    OF    MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

Testimony  of  the  Rev.  D.  0.  Allen,  D.D., 36 

Schools  for  Heathen  Youth, 38 

Employment  of  "  Heathen  Teachers," 40 

Employment  of  Native  Christian  Teachers, 44 

Vernacular  and  English  Schools, 46 

Experience  of  European  Missionaries, 48 

Experience  of  American  Missionaries, 49 

Boarding-Schools, 50 

Commendation  of  all  these  Schools  by  the  Officers  of  the  Board, 51 

CHAPTER  III. 

CHARACTER    AND   RESULTS   OF    MISSION    SCHOOLS    IN    OUR   BOMBAY   MISSION, 

Origin  of  the  American  Mission  in  Bombay, 53 

Gordon  Hall's  Appeal  to  the  Governor, ' 53 

Oral  Preaching  Unsatisfactory, 55 

Necessary  Resort  to  Schools, 56 

Gordon  Hall's  Estimate  of  the  Schools, 58 

Testimony  of  Hall's  Biographer, 60 

Practice  of  the  Missionaries, 61 

Moral  Courage  of  Babajee, 63 

Conversion  of  Three  Heathen  Teachers, 65 

Death  of  Gungah  and  Babajee, 67 


vm  CO^~TEKTS. 

PAGE 

Estimate  of  the  Schools  by  tlic  Board  and  Missionaries, 68 

Opposition  of  the  Hindus  to  the  Schools, Vl 

Approved  by  the  Board, '72 

Facts  and  Conversions  in  the  History  of  the  Schools, 73 

Influence  of  the  Schools  in  changing  Public  Sentiment, 78 

Statistics  of  Mission  Schools  in  India,  in  1851, 82 

Disastrous  Change, 82 

CHAPTER  IV. 

HISTORY    OF   OUR   BOMBAY    MISSION    SCHOOLS  CONTINUED. 

Bombay  High-School  and  the  Late  Deputation, 84 

Cause  of  the  Deputation  to  India, 85 

United  Testimony  of  all  the  Missionaries, 86 

Rev.  R.  W.  Hume's  Plea  for  Schools, 86 

Rev.  S.  B.  Fairbank's  Plea  for  Schools, 92 

Rev.  George  Bowen's  Plea  for  Schools, 98 

Rev.  Henry  Ballan tine's  Plea  for  Schools, 101 

Rev.  A  Hazen's  and  L.  Bissell's  Plea  for  Schools, 103 

Rev.  Messrs.  Burgess  and  Wood's  Plea  for  Schools, 104 

Rev.  S.  B.  Munger's  Plea  for  Schools, - 105 

Result  of  these  Pleadings  in  Boston, 106 

Second  Series  of  Pleadings  by  all  the  Missionaries, 107-119 

Commencement  and  Success  of  Bombay  High-School, 119 

Result  of  these  Second  Pleadings  in  Boston, 120 

How  did  the  Deputation  effect  their  Object, 121 

Absolute  Authority  of  the  Deputation, 122 

General  Meeting  at  Ahmednuggur, 1 23 

Dr.  Anderson's  Opening  Address, 124 

Manner  in  which  Action  was  secured, 126 

Report  on  the  Bombay  Institution, 127 

Report  committed  to  Another  Chairman  and  changed, 129 

How  was  the  Report  accepted, 129 

Votes  for  the  Employment  of  ^'■Heathen  Teachers," 131 

Suppression  of  the  Bombay  Institution, 132 

Results  from  Schools  in  this  Mission, 133 

Results  from  Schools  in  the  Scotch  Free  Church  Mission, 135 

Appeal  from  the  Deputation  to  the  Prudential  Committee, 136 

Unhappy  Results  of  the  Change, 147 

Tabular  View  of  the  Schools, 152-3 

Summary  of  Results, 164 

Tabular  View  of  the  Missionaries  of  the  Bombay  Mission, 155-6 

CHAPTER  V. 

CHARACTER   AND    RESULTS    OF   SCHOOLS    IN    THE   AHMEDNUGGUR    MISSION. 

Origin  of  the  Mission, 159 

Prominence  given  to  Schools  with  Heathen  Teachers, 160 

English  Schools, 162 

Mission  Seminary, ]  63 

Boarding-Schools, 165 

E-stimate  of  the  Schools  by  the  Missionaries,  by  the  Board,  by  Europeans,  168-73 

Do  Heathen  Teachers  counteract  Christian  Instruction  ? 174 

Tlie  School-Girl  and  Lord's  Prayer, 175 

Pupils  throw  away  Idols, 176 

Conversion  of  Pupils.     Ranikore  and  her  Mother, 17T 

Influence  of  Schools  on  Adults, .  j    ■  . . . .  18C 


CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

Unwise  to  limit  efforts  to  the  Lmv  Castes. 184 

Value  of  the  School  at  Newase, 187 

Conversion  of  ^'■Heathen   Teachers^'  —  Hurripunt,  Ramkrishaapunt,  etc.,.  194 

Schools  opposed  by  the  Heathen , .  206 

Converts  from  the  Seminary — Rama,  Yyenkutrao  and  others, 207 

Change  of  Policy,  disparaging  the  Schools, 220 

Unhappy  Results  of  breaking  up  the  Schools, 225 

Letter  from  the  Mission  Secretary  to  Dr.  Anderson, 228 

Ordination  of  Native  Pastors, 238 

Why  were  the  Schools  abandoned  ? 240 

Tabular  View  of  the  Missionaries, 242 

CHAPTER  VI. 

SCHOOLS    OF   THE    SATARA   AND    KOLAPOOR    MISSIONS. 
SATARA. 

Schools  secure  ready  access  to  the  people, 245 

Religious  Interest  in  the  Schools, 246 

The  Schools  Disbanded, 247 

Tabular  view  of  the  Schools  and  Missionaries, 250 

KOLAPOOR. 

Description, 251 

Opposition  overcome  by  Schools, 252 

Mrs.  Wilder's  Account  of  the  City,  Temples,  and  Schools, 253 

Converts  and  Inquirers — Govind  Apa  Chowhan, 257 

.^chools  abandoned  by  the  Deputation, 260 

Schools  reauthorized  by  the  Prudential  Committee, 261 

Outbreak  of  the  Sepoy  Mutiny,    263 

The  Mission  abandoned, 266 

Appeal  from  the  Prudential  Committee  to  the  Board, 267 

Reestablishraent  of  the  Mission, 272 

Testimony  of  European  Friends, ^ 275 

CHAPTER   VII. 

SCHOOLS    OF    THE    CEYLON    MISSION. 

Description.     Origin  of  the  Mission, 283 

Chief  interest  centres  in  the  Schools, 285 

First  Revival  in  the  Schools, 285 

Second  Revival  in  the  Schools, 286 

Origin  of  the  Batticotta  and  Oodooville  Seminaries, 287 

.  Third  Revival  in  the  Schools, 288 

Fourth  Revival  in  the  Schools, 290 

Fifth  and  Sixth  Revivals  in  the  Schools, 293 

Seventh  and  Eighth  Revivals  in  the  Schools, 294 

Ninth  Revival  in  the  Schools, 298 

Conversion  of  Magee, 298 

Conversion  in  a  Free  School 299 

Lamentations  on  account  of  Retrenchment, 303 

Father  Spauldings  Lament  for  the  Schools  suppressed, 309 

Grief  of  the  Board  at  the  loss  of  the  Schools, 310 

Efforts  to  retrieve  the  Loss  of  the  Schools, 314 

Tenth  Revival  in  the  Schools, 817 

Converting  Influence  of  the  Schools, 318 

Success  of  the  Schools  in  training  Native  Helpei-s, 320 


X  CONTENTS. 

PACK 

The  Native  Church  gathered  from  the  Schools, 323 

The  Old  Heathen  Teacher, 325 

Eleventh  Revival  in  the  Schools, 329 

Testimony  of  Rev.  Dr.  Poor, 330 

The  Schools  suppressed, 337 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

SCHOOLS    OF    THE    MADURA    AND    MADRAS    MISSIONS. 
MADURA. 

Importance  of  Schools, 340 

The  Uttle  Girl  who  would  not  break  the  Sabbath, 346 

The  Praying  Girl  and  her  Father, 348 

Special  Value  of  the  BoardmgSchools, 349 

Schools  secure  "  Village  Congregations,^^ 352 

A  Revival  in  the  Seminary, 354 

Change  of  Policy  and  Retrenchment, 355 

MADRAS. 

Chief  hopes  centre  in  the  Schools, 361 

CHAPTER  IX. 

MISSIONS   AMONG    THE    NORTH    AMERICAN    INDIANS. 

Indian  Ferocity  tamed  by  the  Schools.     John  Arch, 367 

Conversions  in  the  Schools, 368 

Revivals  in  the  Schools,   370 

CHAPTER  X. 

MISSIONS    AMONG   THE    ARMENIANS    OF    TURKEY. 

Teachers  become  the  first  Converts, 373 

The  Schools  provoke  Persecution, 374 

The  Schools  an  Entering-Wedge, 380 

Revivals  in  the  Schools, • 382 

Effective  Influence  of  the  Schools, 385 

Revival  in  the  Schools  in  Turkey, 388 

CHAPTER  XI. 

MISSION    TO    THE    SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 

Origin  of  the  Mission, 394 

Kings,  Chiefs,  and  People  learn  to  read, 395 

Revivals  in  the  Schools, 397 

Value  of  the  Schools, 401 

CHAPTER  XII. 

MISSION   TO    THE    NESTORIANS    OF    PERSIA. 

Schools  are  the  first  Effective  Agency, 403 

Patriarchs  and  Priests  oppose  the  Schools, 406 

Secretary  and  Committee  approve  of  Heathen  Teachers, 406 

Revival  in  the  Schools, 408 

Third  Revival  in  the  Schools, 411 

Fourth  and  Fifth  Revivals  in  the  Schools, 412 

Sixth  Revival  in  the  Schools, 413 

Seventh  and  Eighth  Revivals  in  the  Schools, 414 

Conclusion, 416 


INTRODUCTION". 


MoDEKX  Missions  have  become  a  foot  and  a  power  in  the 
world.  Their  results,  for  the  last  fifty  years,  put  to  shame 
alike  the  timid  faith  of  the  Church  and  the  scornful  predictions 
of  the  infidel  opposer.  A  recent  vigorous  writer  in  India,  with 
the  fruits  of  Protestant  Missions  around  him  there,  and  look- 
ing only  at  their  temporal  results,  very  justly  remarks :  "  We 
are  tired  of  listening  to  nonsense  about  the  small  results  of 
missionary  work,  the  enormous  revenue  expended,  the  inade- 
quate return  secured.  In  the  midst  of  the  mighty  events  now 
passing  over  Asia,  though  every  throne  is  rocking,  and  every 
dynasty  crumbling  into  dust,  though  the  Tartar  lords  are 
ceasing  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  struggle  of 
the  North  and  the  South  seems  rapidly  approaching,  there  is 
no  event  more  wonderful  than  the  progress  of  the  mission 
power.  Within  one  poor  half  century  the  unregarded  effort 
of  a  few  fanatics,  with  a  '  visionary  cobbler'  at  their  head, 
has  become  the  strongrest  of  social  levers.  If  a  third  of  the 
human  race  are  now  in  internecine  struggle  among  themselves, 
it  is  because  a  missionary  instructed  a  poor  Chinese  lad  sick  in 
his  hospital." 

This  last  remark  refers  to  the  internal  conflict  then  waging 
in  China,  the  end  of  which  is  not  yet. 

Our  writer  might  have  added,  if  the  degraded  islanders  of 
the  ocean  have  been  raised  from  their  ignorance  and  pollution 
and  blessed  with  a  written  language,  and  with  all  the  arts  and 
sciences  of  civilized  life,  it  is  the  result  of  missions.  If  the  vast 
regions  of  Central  Africa  are  being  opened  up  to  the  light  of 
science  and  civilization,  it  is  because  missionary  zeal  impels  the 
explorer. 

India  is  the  great  land  of  idolaters,  and  in  regard  to  India^ 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

more  frequently  tbiin  elsewhere,  liave  the  iiussioiiaries  been 
reproached  for  their  want  of  success.  Such  cavillers  are  well 
met  by  the  statements  and  interrogatories  of  this  writer.  "  Is 
it  nothing,"  he  continues,  "that  one  entire  race,  shortly  to 
people  an  entire  province,  eagerly  embraces  Christianity,  main- 
tains its  own  pastors,  builds  its  own  churches,  and  when  called 
upon  to  suffer  for  the  cause,  dies  calmly  with  Christ  upon  its 
lips  ?  Those  who  know  the  Karens^  know  that  they  have 
done  all  this.  Is  it  nothing  that  at  this  very  moment  in  the 
jungles  of  Chota  Nagpore,  among  a  race  wild  as  our  paint- 
ed forefathers,  three  thousand  men  have  declared  their  eager- 
ness to  be  baptized ;  that  Government  with  another  wild  race 
to  tame,  and  that  race  recently  in  rebellion,  can  find  no  civilizers 
so  efficient  as  Christian  Missionaries  ?  Is  it  nothing  that  among 
one  of  the  worst  and  most  degraded  populations  of  Asia,  the 
Pariahs  of  Lower  India,  100,000  men  have  embraced  the  faith, 
and  do,  so  far  as  the  human  eye  can  see,  live  according  to  it  ? 
It  has  been  evident  for  years,  to  all  men  with  eyes,  that  the 
old  fabric  of  Hinduism  is  breaking  up.  In  the  Arctic  Seas, 
before  the  ice  cracks,  a  low  steady  murmur  is  heard,  never 
ceasing,  springing  no  one  can  tell  whence,  yet  always,  in  the 
midst  of  the  vague  terror  it  suggests,  announcing  the  approach- 
ing deliverance.  The  ice  has  not  cracked,  but  the  murmur 
Avhich  precedes  it  is  on  the  air.  Who  believes  in  Hinduism? 
Some  few  Europeans,  the  Court  of  Directors,  the  British  Parlia- 
ment, but  certainly  not  the  Hindus.  Sutti  and  widow  celibacy 
are  abolished.  Polygamy  is  doomed,  and  what  Hindu,  know- 
ing all  this,  raises  a  hand  ?  There  is  no  heart  left  in  the  creed, 
and  though  it  may  exist  for  generations,  as  the  corpse  of  Ro- 
man Paganism  did,  its  downfall  is  assured." 

This  utterance  was  penned  in  India  by  an  experienced  and 
observant  mind  shortly  before  the  outbreak  of  the  terrible 
Sepoy  rebellion  of  1857.  Does  not  the  fact  of  that  rebellion 
show  that-  he  misapprehended  in  some  measure  the  spirit  of 
the  Hindus  ?  I  think  not.  On  the  contrary,  the  result  of  that 
rebellion  clearly  proves  that  Hinduism  has  no  elements  which 
can  stand  before  true  science  and  Christianity  ;  and  that  in  its 
general  import,  this  proj^hetic  utterance  is  finding  a  rapid  ful 
lillmcnt. 


INTRODrCTlOX.  IB 

Witli  reference  to  the  agency  in  ciFecting  this  mighty 
change,  our  author  continues :  "  This  lias  been  accomplished 
by  missionaries,  and  is  not  the  greatest  of  their  achievements. 
For  years  their  influence  and  tliat  of  the  class  which  supports 
them,  has  been  permeating  Indian  society.  That  society  is 
consequently  utterly  changed.  The  tone  of  the  official  world 
has  utterly  changed.  Is  this  nothing  to  have  achieved  ?  We 
have  not  spoken  of  souls  saved,  for  we  are  not  writing  for  reli- 
gious men  who  know  these  things  without  our  guidance.  We 
address  those  who  will  look  only  at  the  social  aspect  of  the 
question,  and  we  ask  them  whether  the  result  does  not  justify 
the  cost  ?" 

Xow,  in  properly  estimating  the  results  of  modern  missions, 
Ave  may  not,  with  this  writer,  limit  our  vision  to  the  civil  and 
social  benefits  accruing  from  them.  These,  in  comparison  with 
the  spiritual  results,  are  as  time  to  eternity,  earth  to  heaven. 
Worldly  philanthropists  may  well  rejoice  in  the  civil  and  social 
changes  effected  by  missions.  These  changes  are  every  where 
such  as  to  challenge  their  admiration  and  merit  their  cordial 
cooperation  in  the  w^ork.  But  the  crowning  glory  of  missions 
is,  that  they  are  God's  appointed  agency  for  saving  immortal 
souls — ^for  despoiling  Satan's  kingdom  and  reestablishing  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  And  when  we  attempt  to  estimate  these 
higher  and  spiritual  results,  we  are  constrained  to  feel  that  the 
triumphs  of  the  Gospel  in  the  achievements  of  modern  missions 
eclipse  all  that  is  recorded  of  Apostolic  times. 

In  confirmation  of  this  view  it  is  sufficient  to  mention  the 
more  than  40,000  converts  gathered  into  the  Christian  Church 
within  the  last  thirty  years  from  the  degraded  idolaters  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  or  the  wonderful  reformation  now  progress- 
ing among  the  Armenians  of  Turkey  and  the  Xestorians  of 
Persia,  or  the  50,000  converts  won  to  Christ  by  the  labors  of 
our  Wesleyan  brethren  on  the  Fejee  Islands,  or  the  25,000 
converts  gathered  into  the  mission  churches,  wdiich  like  so  many 
glorious  lights  begirt  the  dark  continent  of  Africa,  or  the 
30,000  or  40,000  natives  of  India  who  have  broken  the  adaman- 
tine chains  of  Hindu  idolatry  and  caste,  and  now  gather  with 
us  in  humble  faith  and  love  around  the  table  of  the  Lord. 

It  is  well  to  boar  on  our  minds  and  in  our  hearts  these  tri- 


umplis  of  the  cross  in  our  own  times.  They  serve  to  quicken 
our  faith  in  the  purpose  and  promise  of  God,  and  to  fill  our 
souls  with  adoring  gratitude  to  Him  through  whose  word  and 
spirit  all  has  been  achieved.  "  Not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  O 
Lord,  but  unto  thy  name  be  all  the  glory." 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  raise  peans  of  thanksgiving  for  tri- 
umphs already  achieved.  Before  "the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
shall  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,"  far 
greater  victories  must  be  won.  While  we  rejoice  over  the 
30,000  native  communicants  who  have  been  gathered  into 
the  Church  of  Christ  in  Lidia,  we  must  remember  that  some 
200,000,000  of  idolaters  still  remain  in  that  land  fast  bound  in 
the  cruel  bondage  of  heathenism — that  the  true  light  which  has 
risen  upon  Western  Asia  and  a  few  of  Ocean's  Islands,  while 
gilding  the  mountain  tops  with  divine  radiance,  serves  at  the 
same  time  to  reveal  more  cleaily  the  dark  regions  of  hea- 
thenism which  still  cover  the  slopes  and  fill  up  the  valleys  of 
islands  and  continents  over  three  fourths  of  our  habitable 
globe.  So  that  the  true  soldier  of  the  cross  must  regard  the 
brightest  triumplis  of  the  past  and  present  only  as  a  faint  ear- 
nest of  greater  conquests  yet  to  be  achieved.  The  success  of 
missions  hitherto  should  only  nerve  the  arm  of  the  Church  with 
new  faith  and  courage  for  more  vigorous  campaigns,  and  lead 
her  to  consecrate  every  energy  to  this  work  intrusted  to  her 
by  divine  commission,  till  the  last  dark  corner  of  earth  glow 
with  gospel  light,  and  the  heathen  be  wholly  given  to  Chi-ist 
as  his  rightful  inheritance. 

But,  by  what  agencies  is  the  Church  to  prosecute  this  war- 
fare? With  what  means  is  she  to  bring  the  truth  of  God  to 
bear  on  pagan  minds  and  hearts  ? 

In  rej)ly  to  these  inquiries,  it  would  seem  to  be  sufficient  to 
point  to  the  agencies  she  has  hitherto  employed.  Had  past 
agencies  proved  ineflfective,  we  might  properly  discard  them 
and  seek  for  new  appliances.  But  such  is  not  the  case.  Past 
missionary  efforts  have  been  crowned  with  success  which  stirs 
the  deepest  gratitude  of  every  sanctified  heart. 

And  how  has  this  success  been  achieved  ?  "  Not  by  might, 
nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord."  The  word 
and  Spirit  of  God  have  achieved  it  all,  and  these  are  our  onlv 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

reliance  for  the  future.  And  here  we  might  rest  the  case,  as- 
sured that  no  dissenting  voice  would  be  heard  among  the  en- 
tire band  of  Christian  laborers. 

But,  doubtless,  there  have  been  human  agents,  and  these 
have  applied  various  instrumentalities.  Oral  preaching^ 
school^  the  pn^ess^  itineracies^  medicine^  and  other  agencies 
have  been  pressed  into  the  service  for  evangelizing  the  nations. 
In  all  this  we  might  rejoice,  leaving  Paul  to  plant  and  Apollos 
to  water,  each  according  to  his  own  judgment  and  ability,  still 
rendering  all  honor  to  God  who  alone  giveth  the  increase. 
But  with  this,  the  agents  and  laborers  of  some  of  our  missionary- 
societies  have  not  been  content.  Claiming  to  be  convinced  of 
the  superior  efficacy  of  one  or  more  of  those  agencies,  they  not 
only  discard  the  others  themselves,  but  insist  that  their  breth- 
ren shall  discard  them  also.  Were  they  willing  to  make  their 
convictions  a  rule  for  themselves  only,  all  might  continue  to 
labor  harmoniously,  having  God's  glory  and  the  salvation  of 
souls  for  their  object,  though  seeking  tocompass  this  object 
by  different  agencies  for  making  known  and  applying  God's 
truth. 

But  with  this  these  well-meaning  agents  have  not  been  con- 
tent. They  have  opposed  their  convictions  to  those  of  their 
brethren  equally  conscientious,  faithful  and  laborious.  They 
have  sought  to  enact  regulations  which  should  restrict  these 
brethren  to  the  particular  agencies  which  they  approve. 

Now  here  is  a  serious  evil — one  which  opposes  a  new  hin- 
drance, and  unless  speedily  overcome  can  not  fail  to  retard  the 
progress  of  this  blessed  work.  This  evil  has  recently  developed 
itself  in  the  proceedings  of  the  American  Board  of  Commission- 
ers for  Foreign  Missions.  This  Board  is  the  oldest  and  most 
successful  of  any  supported  by  our  American  churches.  Her 
missionaries  are  found  on  the  Sandwich  Islands,  in  Micronesia, 
along  the  coast  of  China,  on  Ceylon,  that 

"  Fairest  isle  of  the  ocean, 
Brightest  gem  of  the  sea," 

in  Southern  and  Western  India,  among  the  Nestorians  of  Per- 
sia, the  Syrians  of  Mesopotamia,  the  Arabs  of  Lebanon,  the 
Armenians  of  Turkey,  the  dwellers  of  classic  Greece,  and  at 
different  points  skirting  the  dark  continent  of  Africa. 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

For  fifty  years  this  Board  has  conducted  missions  with  a 
measure  of  success  which  has  brought  new  glory  to  God  on 
earth,  and  won  a  good  ctegree  of  honor  to  our  American  Zion. 
Oral  preaching,  the  press,  schools,  and  itineracies  have  been 
generally  employed  in  all  her  missions.  In  the  use  of  these  ap- 
pliances, the  agents  of  the  Board  at  home  and  abroad  seem  till 
recently  to  have  been  entirely  unanimous.  Each  year  the  suc- 
cess attending  these  agencies  has  developed  new  cause  of  praise 
to  God,  and  frequent  formal  votes  of  the  Board,  commending 
the  wisdom  of  her  missionaries  in  devising  and  applying  these 
agencies.  In  perusing  the  published  records  of  the  Board,  it 
is  most  gratifying  to  observe  the  mutual  confidence  between 
the  agents  at  home  and  abroad,  the  unanimity  and  zeal  with 
which  these  agencies  have  been  aj^plied,  and  the  blessed  results 
which  have  followed  in  their  train. 

But,  unhappily,  this  pleasure  was  not  to  be  enjoyed  without 
interruption.  The  pubhshed  records  of  the  Board,  for  1856, 
develop  a  painful  feeling  of  distrust  and  dissatisfaction  with  one 
of  the  agencies  hitherto  so  unanimously  and  successfully  em- 
ployed in  our  missions.  The  value  of  some  of  the  schools^  which 
had  been  in  use  from  the  origin  of  our  missions,  is  explicitly 
called  in  question  in  these  records.  A  Deputation  had  been 
previously  sent  to  our  India  missions,  and  in  their  published 
Report  to  the  Board,  at  the  special  meeting  held  at  Albany, 
March  4,  1856,  we  find,  in  their  instructions  from  the  Pruden- 
tial Committee,  the  following  paragraphs  giving  utterance  to 
this  distrust  and  dissatisfaction,  namely  ; 

"  At  present,  it  is  the  strong  persuasion  of  the  Prudential 
Committee  that  no  school  can  properly  be  sustained  by  the 
funds  of  the  Board,  in  which  the  vernacular  language  is  not 
the  grand  medium  of  instruction."     .     . 

"  It  is  time  to  inquire  more  earnestly  as  to  the  place  which 
schools  ought  to  hold  in  the  system  of  missionary  efforts  among 
the  heathen.  And  the  Deputation  is  instructed  to  procure  an 
answer,  as  far  as  possible,  to  the  inquiry,  whether,  in  general, 
missionary  schools  should  not  be  restricted  to  converts  and 
stated  attendants  on  preaching,  and  their  children." 

The  results  of  this  distrust,  and  the  consequent  doings  of  the 
Deputation,  are  somewhat  known.     Mission  seminaries  were 


IXTRODUCTIOX.  17 

disbanded;  coiniiiuii  schools  with  "heathen  tcjichers''  were 
interdicted.  In  one  mission  more  than  Jioe  hundred  children 
and  youth,  who  were  daily  enjoying  faithful  instruction  in  the 
saving  truths  of  the  Gospel,  were  "  turned  out  into  the  great 
and  terrible  wilderness  of  the  heathen  world,"  by  order  of  the 
Deputation. 

Xow  the  schools  thus  interdicted  were  such  as  had  been  in 
use  from  the  origin  of  our  missions ;  and.  the  blessing  of  God 
has  rested,  largely  upon  them,  as  the  published  records  of  the 
Board  abundantly  show.  The  Secretaries  and  Prudential  Com- 
mittee have  repeatedly  joined  with  the  missionaries  in  sorrow 
and  lamentations  and  appeals  to  the  churches,  in  behalf  of  just 
such  schools  when  disbanded  for  want  of  funds.  (See  Annual 
Report  for  1838,  pp.  41-43,  and  Heralds  and  Reports,  passim.) 

With  all  deference,  then,  to  the  judgment  of  the  Deputation, 
and  the  j^i'esent  officers  of  the  American  Board,  we  must  be 
allowed  to  inquire,  should  not  the  propriety  of  supporting  such 
schools  have  been  investigated  and  settled  at  a  much  earlier 
date  ?  If  they  were  not  worthy  of  support  in  1856,  how  came 
they  to  be  worthy  of  support  in  1850,  or  during  the  forty  years 
previous  to  that  date  ?  Will  it  be  said  that  such  schools  may 
have  been  j^roper  at  the  origin  of  missions,  and  not  so  after 
years  of  progress  ?  That  agencies  may  and  should  be  modified 
and  adapted  to  the  progress  of  the  work,  in  a  given  mission  is 
readily  conceded.  But  there  were  nevj  missions  in  1856,  as 
well  as  in  1840  or  1820;  and  if  these  schools  were  proper  in 
new  missions  and  old  ones  too,  previous  to  1856,  how  came  they 
to  be  unworthy  of  suj^port  in  the  new  and  unbroken  regions 
of  Hinduism  subsequent  to  that  particular  date  ? 

These  inquiries  are  propounded  as  well  deserving  the  candid 
consideration  of  the  officers  and  j3atrons  of  the  American  Board. 
Has  there  been  a  grave  mistake  in  the  conduct  of  our  missions 
through  all  the  past  history  of  the  Board  ?  Have  the  funds  of 
the  churches  been  misapplied  for  the  support  of  schools  not 
Avorthy  of  patronage  ?  If  the  views  and  doings  of  our  late 
Deputation  Avere  correct,  how  can  we  avoid  the  inference  that, 
for  more  than  forty  years,  the  funds  of  the  Board,  so  far  as 
used  for  the  support  of  the  different  kinds  of  schools  inter- 
dicted by  the  Deputation,  have  been  misapplied  ? 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

Xor  is  it  possible  to  stop  here.  If  the  home  and  foreign 
agents  of  the  Board  have  made  so  great  a  mistake  for  more 
than  forty  years,  what  guarantee  can  the  churches  have  that 
they  are  right  now  ?  May  not  the  funds  of  the  Board  still  be 
misapplied  in  many  other  ways  at  the  present  time  ?  Nay, 
may  not  this  very  act,  suppressing  the  schools  in  question, 
prove  to  be  the  greatest  error  hitherto  committed  ? 

These  inquiries  deserve  the  prayerful  consideration  of  all 
who  love  the  cause  of  missions,  and  the  American  Board.  We 
leave  them  here,  and  turn  to  review  the  agencies  in  which  all 
have  been  so  happily  united,  and  which  have  been  so  richly 
blessed  of  God. 

In  approving  and  sustaining  the  various  mission  schools  of 
the  Board,  her  home  and  foreign  agents  have  been  wonderfully 
harmonious  up  to  a  recent  date.  Is  it  not  probable  that  to 
their  harmonious  views  and  action  are  to  be  traced,  under  God, 
the  blessed  results  of  these  schools  ? 

It  is  believed  that  if  the  true  theory  and  practice  of  the 
officers  and  missionaries  of  the  Board,  in  regard  to  these  schools, 
and  the  blessed  results  which  have  attended  them,  were  tho- 
roughly understood  by  the  Christian  public,  no  place  for  contro- 
versy v/ould  remain.  That  instead  of  enactments  interdicting 
any  of  these  schools,  and  consequent  division  and  strife,  all 
would  unite  in  thanksgiving  and  praise  to  God  for  the  signal 
blessing  he  has  bestowed  upon  this  imperfect  agency  for  mak- 
ing known  Christ  and  him  crucified  to  the  perishing  heathen. 

It  is  the  design  of  the  following  j^ages  to  develop  the  educa- 
tional theory  and  practice  of  the  American  JBoard — the  ciia- 

EACTER  AND  RESULTS  OF  HER  VARIOUS    MISSION   SCHOOLS.      May 

He  whose  glory  among  the  nations  is  the  great  object  of  the 
American  Board  and  all  her  agents,  enable  us  to  present  the 
principles^  facts ^  and  residts  connected  with  this  department 
of  mission  labor,  so  that  our  humble  effort  may  meet  with  His 
acceptance  and  prove  serviceable  in  the  great  and  blessed  work 
of  evangelizing  the  heathen. 


MISSION    SCHOOLS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THEORY   OF   MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Origin   and   Object   of  the   American  Board. 

The  origin  of  the  American  Board  of  Coramissioners for  For- 
eign Missions  dates  from  the  memorable  Association  at  Brad- 
ford, Mass.,  June  27tli,  1810.  The  large  hearts  and  broad 
views  of  its  founders  are  conspicuous  in  the  incipient  meas- 
ures adopted,  and  in  nothing  more  so  than  in  the  compre- 
hensive declaration  of  their  purpose  in  organizing  the  Board. 
Their  first  formal  resolution  on  the  subject  stands  recorded 
in  the  following  language,  namely  :  "  Voted,  that  there  be 
instituted  by  this  general  Association,  a  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions,  for  the  purpose  of  devising  waj^s 
and  means,  and  adopting  and  prosecuting  measures,  for  pro- 
moting the  spread  of  the  Gospel  in  heathen  lands." 

No  attempt  was  made  to  limit  their  proposed  efforts  to 
any  particular  agencies,  and  none  were  interdicted.  A  wide 
margin  was  left  for  all  the  wisdom  and  experience  that 
might  accrue  in  the  progress  of  the  work. 

At  a  later  period,  when  the  "  Laws  and  Regulations  of 
the  Board  "  were  more  definitely  determined,  we  find  their 
object  enunciated  in  the  following  terms,  namely :  "  The 
object  of  the  Board  is,  to  propagate  the  Gospel  among  un- 
evangelized  nations  and  communities,  by  means  of  'preach' 
ersj  catechisis,  schoolmasters ^  and  the  press.^''     Here  schools  are 


20  jnSSION   SCHOOLS. 

distinctly  recognized  as  one  of  the  prominent  agencies  of 
the  Board  for  propagating  the  Gospel ;  and  experience  has 
abundantly  shown  the  wise  forethought  and  consideration 
of  the  venerable  founders  of  the  Board  in  this  respect. 
1'hey  gave  no  special  prominence  to  one  agency  over  an- 
other, but  left  all  to  be  employed  in  such  proportion  as  the 
experience  and  judgment  of  their  missionaries  should  deter- 
mine to  be  most  effective  in  accomplishing  the  great  work 
to  be  achieved. 

Schools  and  Oral  Preaching  one  in  Aim. 

The  possibility  of  oral  preaching  and  mission  schools  ever 
being  regarded  as  antagonistic,  seems  not  to  have  entered 
the  minds  of  those  large-hearted  men.  The  terms  "preach- 
ing missionaries,"  and  "  educationalists,"  is  an  invention  of 
modern  times,  and  no  less  invidious  than  unfortunate.  The 
aim  of  mission  schools  and  of  the  oral  proclamation  of  the 
Gospel  is  ever  one  and  the  same.  They  are  never  to  be 
viewed  as  having  a  different  object,  but  as  different  ways 
for  accomplishing  the  same  object,  each  rendering  the  other 
more  effective  in  accomplishing  the  great  work  of  evangel- 
izing the  heathen. 

Without  schools  in  many  parts  of  the  heathen  world,  the 
preacher  could  obtain  no  stated  hearers,  and  even  if  obtain- 
ed, few  among  them  could  read  his  books  or  understand  his 
message,  without  frequent  and  continued  repetition — "  line 
upon  line,"  and  "  precept  upon  precept " —  a  continuous 
course  of  instruction  which  is  found  in  every  country  to  be 
most  easily  effected  by  means  of  a  regular  system  of  schools. 

I  confess  to  little  sympathy  with  those  over-nice  exeget- 
ical  speculations  which,  on  the  one  hand,  would  limit  our 
great  commission  to  the  oral  proclamation  of  the  Gospel,  or 
on  the  other,  to  teaching  it  technicalbj  and  only  in  the  school- 
room. The  work  to  be  done  furnishes  a  sufficient  exegesis 
of  our  Lord's  intent,  whether  we  translate  his  words,  "  Go, 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,"  or,  "Go,  teach  all  na- 
tions"— "  Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I 
have  commanded  you." 


DIFFICULTY   OF   COMML'XICATIXG   CHRISTIAN    TRUTH.    '21 


Difflculty  of  communicating  Christian  Truth  to  Heathen  Minds. 

That  mucli  repetition  and  a  continuous  course  of  instruc- 
tion is  necessary  to  enlighten  and  convert  the  heathen, 
would  seem  to  be  obvious  from  the  nature  of  the  liuman 
mind  and  the  character  of  those  corrupt  systems  of  false 
religion  which  for  many  centuries  have  enthralled  and  de- 
based their  intellects  and  their  hearts.  Long-cherished 
views,  however  erroneous,  are  not  easily  eradicated.  "  Can 
the  leopard  change  his  spots  ?''  Every  superstition  of  the 
heathen  has  not  only  acquired  the  force  of  habit,  but  is  en- 
trenched and  cherished  with  all  the  sanctities  of  religious 
faith  and  feeling.  An  empty  cask  may  be  soon  filled  by 
pouring  in  water ;  but  if  it  was  filled  centuries  ago  with 
crooked  nails  and  spikes  imbedded  in  cement  v/hicli  both 
rain  and  sunshine  have  indurated  ever  since,  a  previous  pro- 
cess will  be  necessary  before  the  water  can  find  entrance. 

In  regard  to  the  Hindu's  state  of  mind,  and  tlie  difiiculty 
of  communicating  Christian  ideas  to  him,  I  am  aware  the 
rash  statement  has  been  made,  that  "  yon  have  the  same  dif- 
ficulty here  [in  America]  in  conveying  to  one  of  our  people 
the  true  idea  of  sin,  before  he  has  been  taught  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  that  you  have  there,  [in  India.]"  But  this  state- 
ment stands  opposed  to  the  combined  experience  and  testi- 
mony of  all  considerate  missionaries  ever  since  the  days  of 
the  Apostle  Paul.  Have  grossly  perverted  religious  views 
and  most  debasing  practices,  all  indorsed  with  the  highest 
sanctions  of  the  Hindu  Shasters  and  religion,  no  demoral- 
izing, corrupting,  and  searing  effect  upon  the  conscience  and 
heart  of  the  idolater  ?  Have  we  indeed  no  more  dif&culty 
in  conveying  true  ideas  of  God,  sin,  and  holiness  to  those 
ignorant  and  depraved  minds,  into  which  no  one  right  idea 
on  these  momentous  subjects  has  ever  yet  penetrated,  than 
to  the  minds  of  non-professing  men  in  Christendom,  who 
have  been  trained  from  childhood  under  the  concentrated 
light  and  influence  of  the  Gospel  and  Christian  institutions  ? 


22  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


Views  of  the  Secretary,  Dr.  Anderson,  on  this  Point. 

Eev.  Dr.  Anderson,  in  his  valuable  Tract  entitled,  *'  La- 
bors and  Hindrances  of  the  Missionary,"  has  ably  presented 
some  of  the  facts  and  features  of  heathenism,  which  expose 
the  very  grave  error  of  this  statement.  He  says  :  "  Consi- 
der, ao;ain,  in  how  unfavorable  a  condition  heathen  com- 
munities  are  to  be  operated  upon.  Generally  they  are  tho- 
roughly sensual,  earthly,  and  selfish ;  unaccustomed  to  be 
influenced  by,  or  to  think  upon,  intellectual  or  moral  sub- 
jects, unused  to  change,  without  enterprise,  with  no  mo- 
dels of  excellence  before  them,  and  little  inclined  and  little 
able  to  appreciate  them  when  presented ;  full  of  prejudice 
and  love  of  sin.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  unlike  they 
are  to  an  active-minded,  enterprising,  progressive  commu- 
nity in  such  a  Christian  land  as  this.  Public  sentiment 
there,  instead  of  being  a  great  motive  power  in  favor  of  reli- 
gion and  morality  and  social  improvement,  has  become  in- 
veterate and  consolidated  as  an  almost  insurmountable  bar- 
rier to  any  reformatory  effort. 

*'  Consider,  again,  how  slowly  religious  truth  can  be  com- 
municated to  heathen  communities  I  In  addition  to  their 
not  having  been  trained  to  think  on  moral  and  religious 
subjects  generally,  and  their  disinclination  to  take  into  their 
minds  truths  or  considerations  which  interfere  with  their 
cherished  habits,  their  superstitions,  and  their  love  of  sin, 
there  is  a  difficulty  in  the  very  novelty  and  strangeness  of  the 
truths  to  be  taught,  and  in  presenting  them  so  that  they 
shall  be  clearly  apprehended,  in  a  language  not  made  nor 
used  to  convey  such  ideas.  An  intelligent  missionary  states 
that  a  Gospel  sermon  might  be  preached  in  the  Tamil  lan- 
guage, explicit  and  pointed  in  every  doctrine,  and  as  cor- 
rect and  j3lain  as  idiom  and  style  could  make  it,  and  yet  the 
uninstructed  Hindu  would  not  get  one  Christian  idea  from 
it,  but  would  construe  it  all  in  favor  of  Brahminism.  Our 
theological  terms,  so  brief  and  expressive  to  a  well-instruct- 
ed hearer,  are  of  no  use  there.  The  same  missionary  says 
that  with  a  well-instructed  Christian  congregation  in   the 


NECESSITY   OF   SCHOOLS.  23 

United  States,  more  can  be  done  by  a  single  sermon  to  com- 
municate new  trutlis,  and  carry  the  hearer  forward  in  Chris- 
tian knowledge,  than  can  be  done  in  a  newly -gathered  Hindu 
congregation  in  three  months.  It  is  doubtless  substantially 
so  in  every  heathen  community."  .  . 

"  What  time,  then,  will  be  required  for  the  missionary  to 
eradicate  the  heathenish  errors,  detect  the  heathenish  soph- 
istries, and  rectify  the  heathenish  and  perverse  ways  of 
thinking  which  he  meets  with  in  his  untaught  liearers,  and 
which  they  love  and  cling  to  because  they  countenance  their 
corrupt  passions  and  habits  ?  .  .  Is  this  the  work  of  a 
year,  or  of  any  short  period  of  years  ?  In  the  case  of  a 
Christian  child,  whom,  at  the  age  of  two  or  three  years,  the 
mother  begins  to  teach  the  same  truths,  the  object  is  likely 
to  be  more  speedily  and  perfectly  accomplished." 

Necessity  of  Schools  from  the  Character  of  Heathenism,  as  sketched 

by  various  Authors. 

That  the  above  view  of  Dr.  Anderson  is  correct,  is  ob- 
vious from  every  portrait  of  heathenism  which  has  ever 
been  sketched  by  enlightened  men.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Storrs, 
in  his  sermon  before  the  Board,  in  1850,  drew  this  portrait 
in  the  following  language,  namely:  "Ignorant  of  God  and 
his  law,  as  well  as  of  their  own,  and  the  moral  character  of 
the  world;  content  with  mental  inactivity,  and  indifferent 
to  moral  elevation;  untaught  in  the  principles  of  science, 
and  fast-bound  in  errors  venerated  for  their  antiquity;  vi- 
cious in  their  habits,  and  absorbed  in  sensual  indulgences  ; 
accustomed  to  the  profane  rites  of  religions  glittering  yet 
grovelling,  and  degrading  yet  commanding  and  terrible — 
they  are  unprepared  to  listen  to  the  annunciation  of  glory 
to  God  in  the  highest,  and  to  appreciate  the  Gospel  as  pro- 
claiming deliverance  from  the  dominion  of  sin  and  death. 
They  are  strange  things  which  are  thus  brought  to  their 
ears  by  men  of  other  lands  and  a  purer  faith,  claiming  the 
authority  of  that  unknown  God, 

'  From  whom  departing,  they  are  lost,  and  rove 
At  random,  without  honor,  hope,  or  peaco  ; ' 


24  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

and  often  their  tliouglits  are  not  to  be  turned  by  any  amount 
of  testiraon}^  or  argument  from  their  deep-worn  channels, 
nor  their  affections  diverted  from  objects  of  their  earliest 
aiid  devoutest  worship.  The  stupidity  of  the  Hottentot,  the 
sensuality  of  the  Hindu,  the  prejudice  of  the  Mohamme- 
dan, the  ancestral  pride  of  the  self-styled  'son  of  heaven,' 
and  the  sottishness  of  the  South.  Sea  Islander,  alike  interpose 
a  wall  high  as  heaven  between  the  Christian  teacher  and  the 
child  of  ignorance.  .  .  Paul  has  described  the  heathen 
everywhere,  not  more  graphically  than  truthfully.  He  deals 
not  in  fiction  when  he  portrays  them  as  yain  in  their  imag- 
inations, given  up  to  uncleanness,  worshipping  the  creature 
more  than  the  Creator,  fall  of  envy,  murder,  debate,  deceit  and 
malignitv.  Long  and  sad  experience  declares  that  infernal 
passions  dwell  in  pagan  bosoms,  triumphing  over  even  the 
great  law  of  self-preservation,  dealing  out  death  and  de- 
struction to  parents  and  children,  driving  on  wars  and  fight- 
ings for  purposes  of  rapine  and  plunder,  shedding  the  blood 
of  acknowledged  benefactors  for  gain,  and  devouring  ene- 
mies with  the  remorseless  fierceness  of  the  tiger  or  ana- 
conda ;  and  all  this  in  the  presence  of  their  gods,  and  in 
avowed  obedience  to  their  behests.  Essentially  true  is  this 
of  the  entire  pagan  world." 

If,  then,  these  false  views,  and  cruel  and  wicked  practices 
of  heathenism  are  to  be  supplanted  by  the  pure  faith  and 
sanctifying  power  of  the  Gospel,  with  what  jDatience  and  per- 
severing efforts  must  the  missionary  be  prepared  to  pros- 
ecute his  labors,  and  what  an  immense  vantage-ground  must 
he  find  in  any  agency  which  brings  the  heathen  under  stated 
and  systematic  instruction,  and  especially  in  dealing  with 
youthful  minds  before  they  become  hopelessly  impregnated 
with  the  false  and  debasing  teachings  of  their  fathers ! 
•  The  Annals  of  the  American  Board  close  a  dark  portrait- 
ure of  Hinduism,  as  follows,  namely : 

"The  moral  condition  of  Hindu  society  is  what  such  in- 
fluences could  not  fail  to  make  it.  There  is  an  utter  desti- 
tution of  moral  principle.     The  population  is  thoroughly 


NECESSITY   OF   SCHOOLS.  25 

demoralized ;  and  vice,  thus  taught  and  practised  for  ages, 
has  jDroduced  both  mental  and  physical  imbecilitv.     .     . 

"  Hinduism  has,  indeed,  a  powerful  hold  upon  the  great 
mass  of  the  population.  Its  philosophy  and  its  ethics,  its 
superatitions  and  its  worships,  are  wrouglit  into  the  entire 
framework  of  societ}^  The  intellect  and  the  heart  of  every 
man,  woman  and  child,  have  been  thoroughly  steeped  in 
principles  and  practices  which  are  utterly  opposed  to  the 
gospel  of  Christ." 

Similar  to  this  is  the  testimony  of  almost  every  mission- 
ary. The  Rev.  ^lyron  Winslow,  D.D.,  after  some  thirty- 
five  years  of  labor  among  the  Hindus,  says:  "The  obsta- 
cles to  the  missionarv  work  in  India  are  orreat.  There  is  a 
hereditaiy  priesthood,  an  ancient  and  extended  literature; 
immemorial  and  time-indurated  custom ;  the  iron  and  ada- 
mantine barrier  of  caste;  a  cruel  but  fascinating  supersti- 
tion, controlling  every  action ;  and  inconceivable  love  of 
sin." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Scudder  testifies  :  *'  If  I  were  asked  to  tell 
in  one  breath  what  I  thought  the  mightiest  present  obstacle 
to  the  onward  course  of  the  Grospel  in  India,  I  should  unhes- 
itatingly say  caste.  It  is  a  monster  that  delies  description. 
Caste  has  its  hold  on  every  sinew  of  the  Hindu.  Its  bit- 
terness is  diffused  through  every  drop  of  his  blood.  Its 
threads  are  woven  into  the  very  texture  of  his  soul.  Caste 
gives  form  and  life  and  strength  to  the  Hindu  religion. 
Hinduism  would  soon  be  shivered  to  atoms  if  it  were  not 
for  caste.  This  is  Satan's  masterpiece.  The  more  I  look  at 
it,  the  more  I  am  struck  with  the  cunning  of  the  great  De- 
ceiver, in  so  skillfully  forging  and  so  firmly  riveting  upon 
this  people  the  fetters  of  caste.  N'o  one  can  conceive  of  its 
universal  power  and  its  malignancy  until  he  comes  in  con- 
tact with  it.  It  stands  directly  in  the  way  of  the  Gospel, 
like  a  mountain  with  immeasurable  base  and  sky-reaching 
summit.  .  .  Have  I  drawn  a  dark  picture  ?  Yes ;  but 
it  does  not  approximate  to  the  reality.  Gigantic  forms  of 
error  stalk  like  spectres  through  the  midnight  that  wraps 

2 


26"  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

tliig  land  in  dismal  darkness.  Hindrances  to  the  advance- 
ment of  the  truth  are  gi-eat.  The  enemies  are  mighty  and 
subtle.  Haughty  speech,  violent  blasphemy,  and  demoniac 
laughter,  rise  from  every  fortress  of  idolatry,  and  mingle  in 
one  great  shout  of  defiance." 

But  we  may  not  pursue  this  subject  further.  The  reader 
is  requested  to  reflect  on  this  picture  of  heathenism ;  to  let 
his  mind  dwell  for  a  little  on  their  deep  moral  debasement, 
the  utter  perversion  of  their  intellects  and  their  hearts,  and 
see  if  he  does  not  find  here  an  invincible  argument  showing 
the  necessity  of  a  long  and  patient  course  of  instruction,  sys- 
tematic and  persevering  efforts  to  reeducate  the  heathen  mind. 

With  reference  to  the  pecub'ar  elements  of  Hinduism,  and 
the  result  of  right  education  on  Hindu  minds,  it  has  been 
well  affirmed  :  "  Every  person  must  see  that,  without  neces- 
sarily attacking  their  religious  prejudices  in  the  first  in- 
stance, the  mere  communication  to  them  of  just  scientific 
views  in  a  popular  form,  accompanied  by  that  rigorous  de- 
monstration which  the  acute  Hindu  can  intelligently  appre- 
ciate, would  eventually  involve,  along  with  the  demolition 
of  what  they  deem  heaven-revealed  science,  complete  dis- 
belief in  the  pretended  divinity  of  their  worship.  Their 
astronomy  and  their  religion  are,  in  their  opinion,  equally 
divine,  and  they  stand  or  fall  together.  Show  them  conclu- 
sively the  absurdity  of  the  one,  and  you  give  an  irrevocable 
death-blow  to  the  other." 

The  correctness  of  these  sentiments  has  been  tested  by 
long  years  of  missionary  experience.  The  nature  of  the 
human  mind  and  its  deep  debasement  under  the  influence 
of  these  corrupt  systems  of  heathenism,  furnish  abundant 
proof  of  the  wisdom  and  necessity  of  schools,  and  of  their 
forming  a  prominent  part  of  mission  plans  and  labors.  That 
the  early  missionaries  and  founders  of  the  American  Board 
perceived  this  necessity  so  readily  and  clearly,  imderstood  it 
so  well  and  adapted  their  plans  and  measures  to  it  so  wisely, 
is  cause  for  devout  gratitude  to  God. 

But  we  may  not  dwell  longer  on  the  dark  features  of  hea- 
thenism.    There  are  other  incidental  considerations,  more  or 


VALUE   OF   CURTOSITV.  27 

less  intimately  connected  with  those  already  presented,  and 
which  combine  to  show  the  wisdom  and  vahie  of  these  mis- 
sion schools.     We  can  only  glance  at  a  few  of  them. 

Schools  are  necessary  to  procure  a  Stated  Audience. 

We  can  not  expect  the  sonl-hnmbhng  truths  of  the  Gos- 
pel to  take  effect  on  minds  and  hearts  so  utterly  debased, 
unless  the  heathen  can  be  brought  to  listen  to  them,  and 
listen  repeatedly,  till  they  gain  an  intelligent  understand- 
ing of  them.  Now,  what  motive  will  operate  on  the  mind 
of  a  heathen  to  induce  him  to  listen  continuously  and  sta- 
tedly to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  ?  Can  it  be  a  hve  for 
the  truth  f  This  he  understands  not,  and  the  very  fact  that 
the  missionary  comes  to  teach  him  a  new  religion,  is  a  rea- 
son why  he  regards  him  with  suspicion  and  distrust,  and 
keeps  at  a  distance  from  him  unless  some  special  motive 
draws  him.  What  possible  motive  can  bring  the  heathen 
to  listen  to  the  Gospel  except  curiosity  or  self-interest  f 

Value  of  Curiosity. 

Curiosity  operates  upon  all,  but  with  no  permanent  ef- 
fect. It  leads  them  to  wish  to  see  or  hear  "some  new 
thing,"  but  it  is  soon  satisfied,  and  has  no  power  to  secure  a 
stated  audience  in  a  heathen  land.  It  is  most  serviceable 
when  a  missionary  travels  from  village  to  village  on  preach- 
ing tours.  Curiosity  to  see  a  white  stranger,  and  hear  what 
new  things  he  may  have  to  say,  brings  crowds  around  him 
in  every  village.  But  as  soon  as  this  curiosity  is  satisfied, 
the  missionary  finds  himself  deserted,  and  passes  on  to 
another  village.  I  have  no  disposition  to  depreciate  this 
kind  of  labor.  Preaching  tours  serve  somewhat  to  break 
up  the  fallow  ground,  and  make  known  to  the  heathen  the 
fact  that  there  is  ''a  more  excellent  wa}'."  But  the  view 
already  presented,  precludes  the  idea  that  an  intelligent  and 
saving  knowledge  of  Christian  truth  can  be  effectively  com- 
municated in  so  short  a  time.  Preaching  tours  are  preemi- 
nentlv   a   preparatory  work,  and  will  bear  no  comparison 


28  MISSION   SCHOOLS, 

with  schools  for  visible  and  permanent  results.  But  more 
on  this  point  in  the  sequel.  I  mention  it  here  only  to  illus- 
trate the  value  of  curiosity  in  gaining  the  attention  of  the 
heathen.  It  must  be  evident  that  this  principle  can  never 
be  relied  on  in  heathen  lands  for  securing  regular  and  stated 
hearers  of  the  Gospel. 

Self-Interest  the  only  controlling  Motive. 

The  remaining  motive  is  self-interest — the  moving  princi- 
ple of  the  unregenerate  human  heart  the  world  over.  But 
is  the  Christian  missionary  to  avail  himself  of  this  bad  mo- 
tive? Most  unquestionably,  with  proper  limitations.  To 
exclude  it  would  be  to  shut  out  the  heathen  from  the  Gos- 
pel forever.  Let  any  one  who  would  condemn  such  a  course, 
go  first  and  condemn  our  Saviour  for  feeding  the  multitudes 
with  loaves  and  fishes.  We  may,  as  Christ  did,  condemn 
their  worldly  motive,  but,  like  him,  we  may  gladly  avail 
ourselves  of  the  opportunity  thus  presented  for  preaching 
the  Gospel. 

Why  do  the  heathen  attend  upon  the  instruction  of  the 
missionary  at  all?  Of  spiritual  good  they  can  have  no  ap- 
preciation at  first.  What  motive  other  than  self-interest  is 
possible  ?  This  motive  is  developed  in  different  ways  and 
degrees.  Some  even  fancy,  at  first,  that  if  they  will  become 
Christians,  they  will  receive  large  sums  of  money.  I  have 
known  heathen  men  to  come  to  a  missionary  and  deliberate- 
ly name  their  price.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  in  every  such 
instance  they  must  be  rebuked,  and  the  spiritual  nature  of 
Christ's  kingdom  be  clearly  pointed  out.  But  several  ways 
remain  in  which  this  principle  may  properly  be  made  avail- 
able for  securing  stated  hearers  among  the  heathen. 

1.  One  ivayis  to  furnish  employment.  In  the  family  of  the 
missionary^  and  in  his  printing-press,  if  he  have  one,  there 
is  occasion  for  servants  and  laborers.  Though  self-interest 
is  the  ru]ing  motive  which  induces  the  heathen  to  accept 
such  service,  and  come  under  regulations  which  require 
them  to  attend  at  stated  times  on  Christian  instruction,  yet 
the  missionary  may  properly  avail  himself  of  this  motive, 


F5CH00LS  ATTRACT  HIGHER  CASTES  29 

and  thus  secure  hearers  for  liis  message.  But  this  means  of 
obtaining  hearers  is  extremely  limited.  If  the  missionary 
can  regularly  preach  the  Gospel  only  to  those  whom  he  em- 
ploys^ what  hope  can  there  be  for  the  great  mass  of  the 
heathen  ? 

2.  Anotlicr  appliance  for  securing  hearers  is  medicine.  This, 
doubtless,  is  a  legitimate  agency,  and  some  are  disposed  to 
exalt  it  above  all  others.  It  shows  a  kind  regard  for  the  suf- 
fering, and  imitates  the  compassion  of  Christ  in  caring  both 
for  the  bodies  and  souls  of  men.  But  of  this  appliance  it  is 
enough  to  say,  it  avails  only  with  the  sick  and  suffering^  and, 
in  India,  chiefly  with  the  lower  classes  of  these.  The  high- 
er castes,  however  sick,  will  seldom  take  our  medicine.  And 
shall  we  restrict  our  labors  to  the  sick  and  suffering  of  the 
lowest  classes  ? 

8.  Alms  is  another  means  of  securing  hearers,  and  may 
be  resorted  to  with  the  same  propriety  as  the  use  of  medi- 
cine. Probably  there  are  few  missionaries,  certainly  in  In- 
dia, who  do  not  distribute  alms  to  a  large  number  of  lame, 
blind,  and  deaf  paupers,  and  thus  secure  their  attention  to 
stated  Christian  instruction.  But  will  it  do  for  missionaries 
in  heathen  lands  to  confine  their  labors  to  paupers  ? 

The  Offer  of  Education  appeals  to  the  "Worthiest  Rtotives    and  to 

the  Better  Classes. 

4.  Schools,  on  the  other  hand,  secure  hearers  from  the 
more  intelligent  and  better  classes  of  the  heathen  communi- 
ty. Most  of  the  heathen  world  readily  manifest  some  ap- 
preciation of  the  value  of  letters.  They  are  aware  that  a 
knowledge  of  the  common  branches  of  learning  will  be  ser- 
viceable to  them  in  the  business  of  life.  They  will  gladly 
come  to  the  missionary,  and  listen  to  his  Christian  instruc- 
tion, of  Avhich,  at  first,  the}^  have  no  just  appreciation,  if 
they  may  only  at  the  same  time  be  gaining  that  knowledge 
which  they  do  value.  In  boarding-schools  self-interest  is 
enlisted  still  more  strongly  by  means  of  the  food  and  cloth- 
ing which  are  furnished.  But  of  all  the  forms  in  which  this 
principle  of  self-interest  develops  itself,  where  is  it  less  ob- 


30  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

jectionable  than  wlien  it  appears  in  a  pure  desire  for  educa- 
tion ?  This  desire  may  be  rendered  available  in  India  to 
almost  any  extent.  Among  the  Mahrattas  of  Western  India, 
if  a  missionary  will  impart  the  rudiments  of  true  science  a 
portion  of  the  time,  he  may  secure  any  number  of  intelligent 
young  men,  who  will  attend  upon  his  instruction,  commit 
to  memory  the  Lord's  Prayer,  Ten  Commandments,  Cate- 
chisms, and  all  the  fundamental  truths  of  the  Gospel,  and,  at 
his  stated  preaching  services,  listen  attentively  to  the  plain- 
est exhibitions  of  Christian  truth.  From  long  experience 
and  observation  of  every  agency  hitherto  employed  by 
Christian  missionaries,  it  is  my  firm  conviction  that  no 
agencv  is  more  valuable  than  this — that  no  motive  which 
can  influence  the  heathen  mind  is  more  praiseworthy,  or 
can  be  more  properly  rendered  available  for  securing  their 
attention  to  the  claims  of  the  Gospel  than  this  love  of  educa- 
tion. A  thirst  for  knowledge  is  commendable  in  Christian 
lands.  It  can  not  be  less  so  among  the  heathen.  It  is  gene- 
rally the  first  hopeful  indication  among  the  most  ignorant 
and  barbarous  tribes,  and  many  a  missionary  longs  to 
awaken  this  desire  in  the  degraded,  sensual,  and  listless 
heathen,  for  whose  spiritual  good  he  labors. 

As  a  means  of  securing  a  stated  audience  mission  schools 
avail,  not  only  with  the  pupils  of  the  schools,  but  to  a  good 
extent  with  their  parents  and  friends  also.  These  are  in- 
terested in  their  children,  and  having  gathered  into  the 
school-room,  or  chapel,  to  listen  to  recitations,  they  not  only 
acquire  a  knowledge  of  Christianity  very  effectively  from 
this  exercise,  but  when  once  there,  they  remain  through  the 
preaching  service,  and  thus  the  facilities  of  the  missionary 
for  communicating  Christian  truth  are  more  than  doubled 
by  means  of  his  schools,  even  if  he  could  get  some  hearers 
without  them. 


Schools  remove  Ignorance   and  lay  Stable  Foundations. 

To  the  above  consideration  must  be  added  the  necessity 
of  schools  for  removing  the  ignorance  of  the  heathen,  and 
fitting  them  to  become  intelligent  and  useful  members  of 


SCHOOLS   CONCILIATE   THE   PEOPLE.  31 

Bociety.  If  tlie  heathen  nations  could  be  brought  at  once  to 
profess  the  Christian  faith,  and  then  be  left  in  all  their  pre- 
sent ignorance,  how  soon  would  their  Christianity  degrade 
into  superstitions  as  vile  and  debasing  as  most  of  those 
which  now  hold  them  in  bondage  ?  Instances  to  illustrate 
this  point  are  not  wanting  in  countries  once  blessed  with  the 
light  of  the  Gospel,  but  now  requiring  missionaries.  Most 
of  the  Eoman  Catholic  converts  in  India  furnish  an  illustra- 
tion on  this  subject.  They  have  only  exchanged  one  form 
of  superstition  and  error  for  another.  Unable  to  read,  un- 
instructed  in  true  knowledge  and  science,  they  know  nothing 
of  their  own  faith  even,  except  to  worship  the  images  the 
priest  directs.  I  have  often  met  in  India  bands  of  these 
native  Romanists,  from  the  province  of  Goa,  and  found  them 
entirely  destitute  of  any  correct  idea  of  their  own  faith.  I 
have  asked  them  why  they  called  themselves  Christian^  and 
the  reply  has  been,  "Because  the  priest  tells  us  to;"  while 
in  regard  to  the  saving  truths  of  the  Gospel,  or  even  who 
Christ  was,  or  what  he  had  done  to  save  them,  their  minds 
were  a  complete  blank.  Such  must  not  be  the  case  with 
Protestant  converts  in  heathen  lands.  That  Christianity 
may  be  intelligently  understood  and  embraced,  and  exert 
an  elevating  and  saving  influence  on  the  heart  and  life,  some 
measure  of  true  knowledge  and  science  must  ever  accompa- 
ny it.  The  Christian  faith  is  light^  and  loves  light^  and  out 
of  this  element  it  can  not  exist. 

Schools  conciliate  the  People. 

Again,  mission  schools  are  valuable  to  conciliate  the  favor 
of  the  heathen,  and  convince  them  that  the  missionary  seeks 
to  benefit  them.  Influenced  only  by  selfish  motives  them- 
selves, they  think  the  same  motives  rule  all  others.  They  are 
slow  to  appreciate  the  benevolence  of  the  missionary,  or  to 
believe  that  he  seeks  their  highest  good.  But  when  he 
opens /ree  schools,  and  instructs  their  children  without  charge, 
they  have  positive  evidence  that  he  seeks  to  do  them  good. 
There  is  no  more  ready  access  to  the  confidence  of  a  parent 
than  by  an  act  of  kindness  to  his  child.     In  all  heathen 


32  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

communities  the  missionary  is  first  received  with  a  measure 
of  distrust,  and  no  means  for  winning  their  confidence  have 
been  found  more  effective  than  mission  schools. 

£ixperience  in  a  New  Mission. 

It  became  my  duty  and  privilege  to  commence  and  carry 
on  a  iieio  Mission  in  Western  India,  in  an  independent  na- 
tive state,  beyond  the  limits  of  British  territory,  in  a  region 
of  Hinduism  quite  unbroken,  and  almost  unexplored  by 
missionaries,  even  on  their  hasty  preaching  tours.  The  re- 
sult of  my  experience  in  this  mission  may  properly  find  a 
place  in  this  connection.  On  my  first  going  among  them,  I 
found  the  fears  and  prejudices  of  the  people  strongly  excit- 
ed against  me.  They  united  their  influence,  and  sent  to 
their  king  an  earnest  petition  praying  him  to  banish  me 
from  his  kingdom.  When  this  petition  proved  unavailing, 
they  adopted  a  plan  of  rigid  non-intercourse.  The  Brahman 
priests  stood  aloof  themselves,  and  admonished  the  common 
people  that  certain  defilement  would  ensue  if  they  went  near 
the  missionary,  or  had  any  thing  to  do  with  him.  All 
efforts  to  obtain  a  preaching  audience  were  quite  unavailing. 
At  length  I  attempted  to  establish  schools :  here,  too,  the 
priests  opposed  and  threatened  to  expel  from  caste  any  who 
should  let  their  children  attend.  At  length  I  succeeded  in 
employing  a  Brahman  teacher,  and  he  soon  persuaded  the 
})arents  of  two  little  boys  to  let  them  come  to  our  school. 
The  people  anxiouslj^  watched  the  result.  It  soon  became 
knowi\  that  the  priests  did  not  and  could  not  put  the  parents 
out  of  caste  for  this  offense.  The  school  gradually  increased 
in  numbers,  and  the  fears  and  prejudices  of  the  people  sub- 
sided in  like  proportion.  In  the  course  of  six  or  eight 
months,  from  this  small  beginning,  I  found  myself  in  a 
state  of  friendl}'  intercourse  with  the  people,  a  good  number 
of  pupils  in  my  schools,  and  these  with  their  adult  relatives 
attending  my  stated  preaching  services.  At  the  end  of  two 
years,  the  fears  of  the  peoj^le  had  so  far  disappeared  that  my 
schools  were  crowded  with  pupils  of  all  castes  and  ranks, 
from  the  cottage  to  the  palace ;  five  youth  attending  from 


EXPERIENCE   IX  A  NEW  MISSION.  83 

the  royal  family.  By  means  of  these  schools  and  the  adult 
hearers  thus  secured,  the  saving  truths  of  the  Gospel  have 
been  preached  to  thousands  of  idolaters  who  but  for  the 
schools  would  never  yet  have  heard  them.  Besides  this, 
hundreds  of  youth  and  children  in  these  schools  have  com- 
mitted to  memory  Christian  catechisms,  hymns,  portions  of 
the  word  of  God,  and  become  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
fundamental  and  saving  doctrines  of  the  Gospel. 

Thus  my  personal  experience  in  mission  labor,  and  a  wide 
field  of  observation  in  the  other  missions  of  Western  India, 
have  convinced  me  that  such  schools  are  a  wise  and  effect- 
ive agency  in  prosecuting  the  missionary  work.  They  com- 
municate true  science,  and  this  undermines  the  errors  of 
heathenism ;  they  inspire  and  foster  a  love  for  true  know- 
ledge, and  help  to  overcome*  the  deep  debasement  of  the 
heathen  mind  and  heart.  They  communicate  an  elevating 
influence,  prepare  the  heathen  to  understand  and  intelli- 
gently embrace  Christianity,  help  to  render  native  Christ- 
ian communities  stable,  to  preserve  among  them  the  purity 
of  faith  and  sound  doctrine,  and  a  correct  Christian  practice, 
conciliate  the  favorable  regards  of  the  heathen,  and  secure 
their  attention  to  the  Gospel,  furnish  an  opportunity  for  the 
uniform  and  s^^stematic  instruction  of  youth  and  children  in 
tlie  principles  of  Christianit}^,  appeal  to  the  worthiest  motive 
in  bringing  tlie  heathen  nnder  our  influence,  and  a  motive 
which  operates  on  the  better  class  of  the  heathen,  and  con- 
stitute the  best  and  most  effective  agenc}^  of  which  the  Christ- 
ian missionary  can  avail  himself  in  heathen  lands. 

That  the  great  body  of  Hindu  youth  in  India,  are  pos- 
sessed of  so  strong  a  desire  for  education,  and  by  it  are  so 
readily  brought  into  mission  schools  and  nnder  Christian 
teaching,  is  cause  for  sincere  gratitude  to  God,  and  of  much 
encouragement  in  prosecuting  the  work  of  missions  among 
them.  Should  missionaries  in  India  neglect  to  avail  them- 
selves  of  this  state  of  things  they  would  prove  unfaithful  to 
their  high  trust. 

9^ 


84  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

Practice  of  European  Missionaries. 

Well  do  the  missionaries  of  tlie  Scotcli  Free  Clmrcli 
and  most  other  European  societies,  understand  the  vantage- 
ground  furnished  by  this  state  of  things,  and  nobly  have 
they  availed  themselves  of  it.  In  the  principal  cities  of  the 
three  Presidencies  of  India,  they  have  established  large  and 
flourishing  missionary  institutions,  and  in  those  of  the  Free 
Church  alone,  some  five  thousand  of  the  better  class  of  Hin- 
du youth  are  receiving  the  rudiments  of  a  liberal  education, 
and  are  constantly  brought  under  the  influence  of  system- 
atic Christian  instruction.  They  are  thus  laying  broad  and 
deep  the  foundations  of  the  native  Church  for  generations  to 
come,  while  the  number  and  character  of  their  converts, 
catechists,  and  preachers,  sufficiently  attest  the  wisdom  of 
their  measures,  even  for  those  who  can  be  satisfied  only 
with  immediate  results.  What  man,  in  all  Christendom  or 
the  world,  has  a  nobler,  choicer  field  for  usefulness  in  the 
service  of  Christ,  than  the  venerable  Dr.  Duff,  with  some 
fourteen  hundred  promising  Hindu  youth  daily  under  his 
Christian  teaching  and  burning  eloquence,  in  the  great  me- 
tropolis of  India  ? 

It  is  fully  believed  that  the  views  of  the  early  mission- 
aries and  officers  of  the  American  Board,  were  no  less  com- 
prehensive and  correct,  in  regard  to  this  important  agency, 
than  those  of  the  European  missionaries.  Some  views  of 
the  present  senior  Secretary  of  the  American  Board,  bearing 
on  this  subject,  have  already  been  quoted.  Similar  senti- 
ments have  been  placed  on  record  by  other  officers  of  the 
Board.  Eev.  D.  Grreene,  late  Secretary  of  this  Board,  defin- 
ing what  a  missionary  may  properly  do  to  improve  the  in- 
tellectual and  social  condition  of  the  heathen,  well  remarks: 

"  1.  He  may  do  whatever  will  cause  Christian  truth  to 
be  most  speedily  disseminated,  and  most  intelligently  em- 
braced. If  the  people  to  whom  he  is  sent  need  schools,  he 
may  establish  and  teacli  them ;  if  they  need  school-books, 
he  may  make  them,  etc. 

"  2.  The  missionarv  may  do  what  will  bring  the  people 


PRACTICE   OF   EUROPEAN   MISSIONARIES.  35 

most  speedily  and  steadily  under  the  influence  of  the  means 
of  grace,  etc. 

"  3.  The  missionary  may  labor  to  reform  what  in  the 
habits  and  condition  of  a  people  tends  to  immorality,  etc. 

"  4.  Those  measures  which  promote  the  purity  and  per- 
manent influence  of  Christianity  in  a  nation,  fall  within  the 
sphere  of  a  missionary's  labors.  .  .  Who  will  dare  to  say 
that  it  is  not  as  much  a  pari  of  God^sj^lan,  that  science,  and  lite- 
rature^ and  the  fine  arts,  and  all  the  useful  inventions  for  facili- 
tating labor  and  intercourse,  shall  be  carried  to  their  highest  point, 
and  that  the  human  mind  shall  Jcnoiu  all  that  it  is  capable  of 
hnoiving,  and  discover  all  lohich  it  is  capable  of  discovering^  here 
in  this  world,  as  it  is  that  the  Gospel  shall  be  every  where  preach- 
ed and  every  where  triumphant  ?  " 

These  brief  quotations  are  worthy  of  the  comprehensive 
views  and  large  heart  of  their  author,  and  are  believed 
faithfully  to  represent  the  sentiments  of  the  early  mission- 
aries and  officers  of  the  American  Board  on  the  subject  of 
education  in  mission  schools.  How  well  these  sentiments 
have  been  brought  into  practice,  in  the  past  history  of  the 
Board,  will  appear  in  the  following  pages. 


CHAPTER    TI. 

DIFFERENT    KINDS   OF   MISSION   SCHOOLS. 
Testimony  of  the  Hev.  D.  O.  Allen,  D.D.* 

In  accordance  witli  the  views  already  expressed,  the  mis- 
sionaries of  the  American  Board  have  found  it  expedient  to 
establish  schools  more  or  less  extensively  in  all  their  mis- 
sions. The  Rev.  Dr.  Allen,  who  labored  as  a  missionary  of 
the  American  Board  some  twenty-six  years  among  the  Mah- 
rattas  of  Western  India,  says :  "In  commencing  their  ope- 
rations, missionaries  have  generally  seen  the  propriety  and 
importance  of  establishirg  schools.  One  reason  for  them  is 
to  educate  the  minds  of  the  people,  so  that  they  may  be 
more  capable  of  understanding  and  appreciating  the  facts 
and  evidences,  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  the  Scriptures. 
Another  reason  for  them  is  to  increase  the  influence  of  the 
missionaries  with  the  people,  by  communicating  some  ad- 
vantage which  they  can  appreciate,  and  by  showing  that 
Christianity  rests  on  an  intelligent  perception  of  its  doc- 
trines, and  contains  reasons  for  the  performance  of  all  its 
duties.  And  another  reason  for  such  an  education,  is  in  its 
procuring  means  and  opening  wayl?  of  access  to  the  people, 
and  opportunities  of  preaching  to  them.  One  great  difficulty 
which  missionaries  often  experience,  is  in  obtaining  access 
to  the  people,  in  circumstances  where  Christianity  can  be 
made  the  subject  of  communication  or  conversation. 

*'  In  such  circumstances  schools  become  very  important, 
as  a  means  of  communication  with  different  classes  of  people^ 
with  children  and  parents,  and  witli  itieu  and  women.    And 

*  india,  Aiififnt  and  Modorn. 


TESTI-MOXY    OF   THK    UKX.    D.    0.    .ALLEX,  D.I).  37 

school-houses  also  become  important,  as  places  for  becoming 
acquainted  with  people,  for  social  intercourse  and  reliofious 
worship.  School-houses  become  chapels  under  the  control 
of  missionaries.  Their  use  for  this  purpose  is  often  more 
important  than  for  education.  These  reasons  for  making 
the  education  of  the  common  people  a  part  of  missionary 
operations,  are  stronger  in  some  heathen  countries  than  in 
others,  and  I  believe  they  can  seldom,  if  ever,  be  adequately 
and  fully  appreciated  by  persons  who  have  not  themselves 
lived  among  a  heathen  population,  and  so  had  opportunities 
for  becoming  acquainted  with  their  state  and  character." 

These  schools  have  been  of  different  kinds,  according  to 
the  circumstances  and  requirements  of  the  case,  and  the 
judgment  of  the  missionaries. 

Boys^  schools  have  usually  been  found  most  practicable, 
CwSj^ecially  at  the  commencement  of  a  mission,  and  most  ef- 
fective for  accomplishing  the  objects  in  view.  The  heathen 
more  readily  appreciate  the  value  of  education  for  their 
boys,  and  such  schools  are  most  successful  in  conciliating 
their  favor,  and  obtaining  both  the  pupils  and  their  parents 
and  friends  as  hearers  at  preaching  services. 

Girls'  schools  find  the  strongest  prejudices  of  the  heathen 
to  contend  with,  and  hence  have  usually  been  established 
after  other  schools  have  succeeded  in  winning  their  conti- 
dence,  and  making  them  understand  the  true  objects  of  the 
mission.  In  most  heathen  communities,  an  attempt  to  estab- 
lish female  schools  at  the  outset  of  the  mission,  especially 
without  doing  any  thing  for  the  education  of  the  boys, 
would  awaken  an  amount  of  prejudice  and  misapprehension 
which  w^ould  be  needless  and  quite  unwise.  In  Bombay, 
the  oldest  mission  of  the  American  Board,  girls'  schools 
were  not  found  practicable  until  some  ten  3'ears  after  boys^ 
schools  were  in  operation  ;  and  more  recently,  in  one  of  our 
new  missions,  the  schools  having  all  been  interdicted  by  the 
Deputation,  and  subsequently  the  girls'  schools  being  allo^ved 
to  continue  temporarily,  (in  deference  to  the  gTief  of  the  lady 
who  had  them  in  charge,)  it  was  found  expedient  to  disband 
them  also. 


38  .AIISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Girls'  schools  not  only  fail,  in  a  new  mission,  to  conciliate 
favor  and  secnre  hearers,  but  from  the  low  estimation  in 
which  women  are  held  in  all  heathen  countries,  and  from 
the  fact  that  no  education  whatever  has  heretofore  been 
allowed  to  any  of  them,  except  to  the  dancing-girls  of  the 
temples,  it  will  be  evident  at  once  that  any  attempt  to  limit 
our  schools  to  the  female  sex,  would  expose  a  mission  to 
much  obloquy  and  misapprehension. 

But  it  must  be  admitted  that  this  perverted  sentiment 
and  practice  of  the  heathen  constitutes  itself  a  strong 
argument  for  including  girls'  schools  among  the  agencies 
for  their  moral  elevation.  Never  will  any  heathen  people 
be  evangelized  till  their  women  are  morally  and  intellec- 
tually elevated.  Well  has  it  been  said  that :  "  Yain  will  be 
the  attempt  to  rescue  man  from  the  ruin  and  desolation 
which  Hinduism  creates,  if  woman  is  still  left  to  her  cruel 
charities."  "  Where  there  exists  a  low  estimate  of  the 
female  character,  there  will  man  himself  ever  be  low. 
Where  the  female,  with  all  her  softening  influence,  so  beau- 
tifully fitted  for  the  humanizing  of  man,  and  for  rendering 
him  a  social  being,  is  in  a  degraded  condition,  and  not 
viewed  as  the  companion  of  her  lord,  there  will  man  him- 
self be  in  a  low,  vile,  d'^graded,  and  uncivilized  state."  "  It 
is  only  Christian  education  which  can  make  woman  in  India 
what  woman  is  in  Christian  America  and  Christian  Britain. 
Only  Christian  education  can  take  the  Hindu  female  out  of 
the  lowest  depths  of  degradation  and  sorrow  which  the 
human  mind  and  heart  can  know,  and  elevate  her  to  that 
dignified  and  blissful  sphere  for  which  God  created  her." 

This  subject  has  been  appreciated  to  a  good  extent  by 
missionaries,  and  female  schools  of  some  kind  constitute  a 
part  of  the  evangelizing  agencies  in  every  well-regulated 
mission. 

Schools  for  Heathen  Youth. 

A  second  distinction  in  mission  schools  is  that  which 
divides  them  into  schools  for  heathen  children,  and  schools 
limited  to  the  children  of  native  Christians.  Strange  to  say, 
the  propriety  of  the  former  has,  by  some,  been  called  in 


SCHOOLS   FOR   HEATHEN    YOUTH.  39 

question.  But  of  such  we  would  ask,  Is  it  not  for  the 
heathen  that  the  missionary  is  to  h\bor  ?  -Is  it  not  the  favor- 
able regard  of  the  heathen  which  he  wishes  to  conciUate  ? 
and  heathen  men,  women  and  children,  whom  he  desires  to 
win  as  hearers,  and  bring  under  the  stated  teaching  and 
influence  of  the  Gospel  ? 

At  the  commencement  of  a  mission,  if  heatlien  chiklren 
are  excluded,  there  can  be  no  schools,  for  there  are  none 
but  heathen  children  to  attend  them.  The  wisdom  of  such 
exclusion  would  be  much  like  that  of  the  Greek  simpleton, 
who  gravely  resolved  never  to  touch  the  water  again  till  he 
had  learned  to  swim.  There  is  no  stage  in  the  progress  of 
a  mission  in  which  schools  are  so  indispensable  as  at  its 
origin.  Hence,  in  many  missions,  such  schools  have  uni- 
foi'mly  been  established,  and  their  value  has  become  one  of 
the  plainest  facts  of  missionary  experience.  In  the  progress 
of  the  work,  when  a  native  church  and  Christian  commu- 
nity have  been  gathered,  the  propriety  of  educating  the 
Christian  children  no  one  calls  in  question.  It  is  hardly 
possible  to  over-estimate  its  importance,  in  properly  laying 
the  foundations  of  Christian  society  in  a  heathen  land. 

But  if  such  schools  are  sustained,  shall  the  heathen  be  ex- 
cluded from  them  ?  On  this  point  there  is  an  honest  differ- 
ence of  opinion.  There  are  some  reasons  for  isolating  the 
children  of  native  Christians  in  separate  schools,  but  far 
stronger  reasons,  I  think,  for  educating  them  in  the  same 
schools  with  heathen  children.  If  we  maintain  separate 
schools  for  Christian  children,  we  can  not  keep  them  se- 
cluded from  heathen  influences  at  other  times,  nor  is  it 
desirable.  We  are  to  seek,  not  to  "  take  them  out  of  the 
Avorld"  of  heathenism,  but  to  fortify  their  moral  natures 
with  Christian  principle,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to  resist 
the  influences  of  heathenism.  Besides,  if  we  exclude  heathen 
children,  we  thus  far  put  the  light  of  the  native  Christians 
''  under  a  bushel,"  and  exclude  the  heathen  from  the  very 
teaching  and  influence  which  they  oniisi  have,  if  they  are 
ever  to  be  evangelized.  Often  the  admission  of  heathen 
children  into  such  schools  would  involve  no  additional  ex- 


40  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

pense.  The  house,  once  provided,  may  as  well  be  full; 
and  the  teacher,  ont^e  employed,  may  as  well  have  full  occu- 
pation. The  exclusion  of  heathen  children  would  limit  tlie 
facilities  of  the  missionary  for  accomplishing  his  appropriate 
work. 

Employment  of  "  Heathen  Teachers." 

A  third  distinction  in  mission  schools  is  indicated  by  tlie 
character  of  the  teachers.  Heathen  or  unevangeUzed  teachers 
have  been  employed  in  most  or  all  of  our  missions.  Of  late 
much  exception  has  been  taken,  in  certain  quarters,  to  such 
teachers.  The  exception  is  plausible,  and  perhaps  finds 
sympathy,  at  first  thought,  with  many  who  love  and  support 
missions.  Some  are  ready  to  exclaim :  ''  What,  employ 
heathen  to  teach  Christianity  !  "  The  very  proposition  brings 
odium.  Bat  the  reader  will  kindly  bear  in  mind,  that  the 
wisest  and  most  devoted  officers  and  missionaries  of  the 
American  Board  have  sanctioned  and  employed  sucb  teach- 
ers from  the  very  origin  of  their  missions  among  the  hea- 
then. This  fact  may  not  be  regarded  as  conclusive  evidence 
of  the  propriety  of  employing  such  teachers,  but  it  will  at 
least  lead  candid  minds  to  apprehend  that  there  may  be 
some  good  reasons  for  so  doing,  and  dispose  them  to  give 
these  reasons  due  consideration.  The  sound  judgments, 
large  hearts,  and  devoted  piety  of  the  early  officers  of  the 
Board  furnish,  a  strong  presumption  that  they  could  not 
have  sanctioned  the  employment  of  such  teachers  without 
deliberately  weighing  all  the  arguments  in  the  case ;  and 
the  same  may  be  said  of  the  successive  missionaries  who 
have  employed  them.  The  advice  of  the  present  senior 
Secretary  of  the  Board  on  this  last  point  is  considerate  and 
well  expressed.     He  says  : 

"  Let  the  friends  of  Christ  also  be  -exhorted  to  presume, 
when  the  missionary  comes  to  a  decision  or  adopts  a  course 
of  measures  different  from  what  to  them  seems  to  be  right, 
that  he  has  done  it  honestly  and  prayerfully,  and  in  view 
of  what  seem  to  him  to  be  good  and  sufficient  reasons ;  and 
lot  them  consider  whether  it  is  strange  that  the  opinions  of 


EMPLOYMENT  OF   HEATHEN   TEACHERS.  41 

a  missionary,  formed  in  the  field,  with  all  the  facts  and  re- 
lations of  the  case  before  him,  should  sometimes  differ  from 
theirs,  unacquainted,  as  they  must  be,  with  the  facts  which 
influenced  him,  and  separated,  as  they  are,  from  those  states 
of  society  and  those  scenes,  by  half  the  circumference  of 
the  globe  ;  and  let  them  also  consider  whether  opinions 
formed  by  wise  and  good  men  at  home,  relative  to  the 
internal  affairs  of  the  several  missions,  are,  on  the  whole, 
more  likely  to  be  right,  than  those  formed  in  heathen  lands 
by  men  equally  pious,  learned,  and  discreet,  having  the 
same  New  Testament  to  guide  them." 

This  is  well  stated,  and  in  the  spirit  of  this  paragraph 
will  the  reader  kindly  weigh  a  few  of  the  considerations  in 
fiivor  of  this  class  of  teachers  ? 

1.  At  the  origin  of  a  mission  none  hut  heathen  teachers  are 
procurable.  If  it  be  said  that  Christian  teachers  should  be 
sent  with  the  missionary,  my  reply  is,  that  hitherto  enough 
such  have  not  been  sent  to  meet  the  wants  of  our  higher 
institutions.  Any  attempt  to  supply  from  Christendom  the 
requisite  number  of  teachers  for  common  schools  is  entirely 
out  of  the  question.  Besides,  the  necessary  support  of  one 
American  teacher  would  be  sufficient  to  supply  a  dozen  or 
more  heathen  teachers ;  so  that  where  one  American  teacher 
or  missionary  is  employed,  it  becomes  the  truest  economy  to 
limit  his  time  and  labor  mainly  to  the  communication  of 
Christian  instruction,  and  for  the  secular  instruction  to  em- 
ploy heathen  teachers. 

2.  Heathen  teachers  are  more  successful  in  bringing  pvpils 
and  adult  hearers  under  missionai^y  influence  a.nd  teaching.  It 
must  ever  be  borne  in  mind  that  one  great  object  of  schools 
in  a  new  mission  is  to  remove  prejudice,  conciliate  favor,  and 
obtain  a  hearing  for  the  Gospel.  For  this  purpose  a  Christ- 
ian teacher  would  have  no  advantage  over  the  missionary. 
Even  a  ncdive  Christian  teacher  is  regarded  as  having  be- 
come defiled  by  breaking  his  caste,  and  hence  is  usually 
looked  upon  with  as  much  prejudice  and  dislike  as  the  mis- 
sionary himself  Even  in  missions  of  long  standing,  efforts 
to  bring  heathen  children  into  schools  taught  by  Christian 


42  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

teachers  have  often  failed  entirely  ;  and  whenever  heathen 
parents  become  willing  to  send  their  children  to  snch  Christ- 
ian teachers,  it  is  properly  regarded  as  an  indication  of 
marked  progress  in  our  work. 

-  Much  odium  has  been  cast  on  the  employment  of  heathen 
teachers  by  a  wrong  use  of  terms.  The  idea  which  has  been 
held  up  as  so  preposterous  is,  the  employment  of  heathen  to 
teach  Christianity  !  This  is  by  no  means  a  proper  statement 
of  the  case.  They  are  employed  to  teach  the  secular 
branches,  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  the  pupils, 
parents,  and  teachers  themselves  under  the  Christian  in- 
struction and  influence  of  the  missionary.  They  are  re- 
quired to  see  that  specified  catechisms  and  portions  of 
Scripture  are  committed  to  memory  by  their  pupils ;  but 
for  explaining  and  impressing  divine  truth  upon  the  minds 
and  hearts  of  both  pupils  and  teachers,  the  missionary  holds 
himself  or  his  Christian  assistants  responsible;  and  daily 
thanks  Grod  for  the  precious  opportunity  afforded  by  these 
schools  for  this  kind  of  labor. 

And  pray  what  possible  objection  to  the  employment  of 
heathen  for  the  purpose  here  specified  ?  Why  not  as  proper 
to  employ  a  Brahman  to  teach  heathen  children  arithmetic, 
as  to  teach  the  missionary  the  language,  to  copy  his  MSS. 
for  the  press,  or  to  set  type  for  printing  the  Bible  ?  What 
means  for  bringing  the  heathen  under  the  influence  of  the 
Gospel  is  safer  ?  What  appeals  to  and  fosters  better  mo- 
tives in  the  unsanctified  heart  ?  Nay  more,  on  what  agency 
has  the  blessing  of  God  hitherto  more  manifestly  rested  ? 
Let  all  missionary  experience  bear  testimony. 

Occasionally  a  heathen  man  comes  to  a  missionary,  claim- 
ing to  be  an  inquirer,  and  asks  for  support,  that  he  may 
attend  on  Christian  instruction,  and  better  understand  the 
character  and  claims  of  the  Gospel.  Some  missionaries 
have  thought  it  proper  to  support  such  a  man  for  a  time, 
from  mission  funds,  until  his  character  and  motives  are  de- 
veloped. This  course  may  be  right,  but  how  much  better 
in  such  case  to  say  to  the  applicant :  "Go  into  such  a  village 
or  part  of  the  city  and  gather  a  school,  and  I  will  pay  you 


EMPLOYMENT   OF   ITKATIIEN   TEAOUERS.  48 

wages."  If  a  worthy  character,  he  will  gladly  avail  him- 
self of  such  an  opportunity  to  earn  a  support,  bring  his  pupils 
and  come  himself  to  the  preaching  services  of  the  mission- 
ar}^,  gain  a  rapid  knowledge  of  Christian  truth,  and  at  the 
same  time  furnish  the  missionary  an  opportunity  to  commun- 
icate Christian  instruction  more  widely  among  the  people  by 
means  of  his  school ;  and  gradually  his  knowledge  will  in- 
crease, and  his  convictions  ripen,  until  he  avows  his  faith  in 
Christ.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  is  a  worthless  character, 
he  will  decline  such  a  proposition,  or  perhaps  make  some 
puny  efforts  to  gather  a  school,  and  soon  develop  his  ineffi- 
ciency and  selfish  motives.  In  either  event  the  missionary 
is  saved  from. imposition  and  a  useless  expenditure  of  money. 
That  such  cases  of  imposition  occur  should  be  matter  of  no 
surprise.  There  are  too  many  unworthy  characters  in 
Christian  lands  to  allow  duplicity  among  the  heathen  to  be 
any  great  marvel. 

3.  Heathen  teachers  ivhile  thus  employed  are  often  converted. 
It  is  obvious  that  teachers,  while  listening  day  after  day  to 
the  catechetical  and  Scripture  lessons  of  their  pupils,  must  be 
in  favorable  circumstances  to  gain  a  knowledge  of  Christian- 
ity ;  and  then  to  this  must  be  added  the  regular  Christian 
instruction  which  they  receive  from  the  missionary.  The 
opinion  has  been  expressed  that  heathen  teachers,  if  em- 
ployed, should  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  Scrip- 
ture lessons  of  their  pupils.  My  experience  has  led  to  a 
different  view.  I  would  have  such  teachers  take  all  the  ap- 
pointed lessons,  and  be  as  responsible  for  the  progress  of 
their  pupils  in  the  required  Scripture  lessons,  as  for  their 
progress  in  secular  studies.  Enough  will  still  remain  for 
the  missionary  or  Christian  assistant  to  do  in  the  way  of  ex- 
amining, explaining,  and  enforcing  the  trutli  thus  taught, 
while  there  is  much  to  be  hoped  for  from  the  constant  repe- 
tition of  these  lessons,  and  the  daily  action  of  the  truth  upon 
the  mind  of  the  teacher.  I  know  of  many  instances  in  which 
these  lessons  have  resulted,  with  God's  blessing,  in  the  con- 
version of  the  teachers.  The  oldest  and  ablest  native  pastors 
in  the  Ahmednuggur  Mission  were  thus  converted,  and  I 


44  MISSION"   SCIIOOT.S. 

shall  not  soon  forget  the  impression  upon  my  mind,  as  I  lis- 
tened to  the  touching  narratives  of  their  Christian  experience 
at  the  time  of  their  ordination.  The  senior  pastor  described 
in  detail  his  successful  efforts  each  night  after  returning  to 
his  Hindu  friends,  to  throw  off  his  serious  impressions, 
which  had  been  induced  by  these  lessons,  and  the  increased 
force  with  which  the  same  lessons  revived  those  impressions 
the  succeeding  da}^,  until  they  became  resistless,  and  led  him 
to  profess  his  faith  in  Christ. 

The  objection  has  been  urged  to  heathen  teachers  that 
they  counteract  the  Christian  instruction  of  the  missionar3^ 
Such  has  not  been  my  experience.  Among  many  there  may 
be  one  occasionally  thus  reckless  of  his  own  interest  and  the 
wishes  of  his  employer,  but  it  is  easy  to  dismiss  such  an  one, 
and  employ  only  those  who  will  be  faithful  to  their  duty. 
Strong  motives  operate  upon  such  teachers,  leading  them  to 
do  all  they  can  to  please  the  missionary,  and  the  very  ac- 
ceptance of  such  service  is  generally  regarded  by  other  hea- 
then as  evidence  that  the  said  teachers  are  throwing  off 
their  stricter  prejudices,  and  becoming  favorable  to  Christ- 
ianity. 

But  the  large  number  and  stable  character  of  the  converts 
from  this  class  of  teachers  is  our  best  argument  on  this  point, 
and  no  less  so  as  to  the  propriety  of  their  employment.  In 
our  Ceylon  Mission  the  conversion  of  sixty-two  pupils  and 
eighty  teachers  is  traced  directly  to  these  schools,  and  the 
recent  testimony  of  the  Ahmednuggur  Mission  is  :  "  Our 
native  j^ci-^^ors^^  and  ^^  most  efficient  laborers  were  originalbj 
heathen  school-teachers^  and  in  this  loay  ivere  brought  under  the 
influence  of  the  truth  and  converted^ 

Native  Christian  Teachers. 

The  employment  of  native  Christians  as  teachers  admits  of 
but  one  opinion.  Such  teachers  can  not  be  had  at  the  com- 
mencement of  a  mission  unless  brought  from  abroad,  and 
hitherto  this  has  been  generally  found  impracticable,  the 
older  missions  still  requiring  their  educated  Christian  teach- 
ers in  their  own  service. 


XATIVE   CHRISTIAX   TEACHERS.  45 

Besides,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  if  such  teachers 
could  be  procured  and  taken  with  the  missionary  when  he 
goes  into  unexplored  regions  to  commence  a  new  mission, 
the  heathen  would  regard  them  with  no  less  prejudice  and 
dislike  than  they  do  the  missionary  himself;  often,  indeed, 
they  view  them  with  peculiar  hatred  as  having  brought  re- 
proach upon  the  religion  they  have  forsaken,  and  contracted 
deeper  defilement  than  adheres  to  the  foreigner  ;■  so  that  in 
a  new  mission  the  heathen  are  found  less  ready  to  send  their 
children  to  such  teachers  than  to  the  missionary  himself. 

But  in  the  progress  of  a  mission,  when  a  native  Christian 
community  has  been  gathered  with  baptized  children  to 
educate,  or  the  prejudices  of  some  of  their  heathen  neighbors 
have  so  far  given  way  that  they  become  willing  to  send  their 
children  to  such  teachers,  then  surely  they  should  be  em- 
ployed. There  is  a  two-fold  advantage  in  so  doing.  It  se- 
cures their  most  effective  assistance  in  prosecuting  the  mis- 
sion work,  and  at  the  same  time  proves  a  means  of  support 
and  of  valuable  discipline  to  the  native  convert.  Their  as- 
sistance in  the  work  is  the  first  object,  and  all  other  con- 
siderations should  yield  to  this.  With  equal  education,  and 
with  pupils  who  will  attend  their  schools,  they  are  much  to 
be  preferred  to  heathen  teachers  from  their  comparative  fit- 
ness to  explain  and  enforce  Christian  truth. 

And  then,  most  natives  on  becoming  Christians  have  no 
means  of  support — not  perhaps  because  they  are  deprived 
of  their  inheritance,  for  in  India  the  civil  rights  of  native 
converts  are  now  secured  by  legal  enactments — but  because 
they  are  generally  from  the  poorer  classes  of  the  people,  and 
if  dependent  on  heathen  relatives  are  cast  off,  and  if  prose- 
cuting some  little  business,  are  often  obliged  to  abandon  it 
or  do  acts  which  violate  their  enlightened  consciences.  So 
that  it  often  becomes  desirable  to  furnish  such  converts  some 
means  of  support,  and  in  most  missions  they  can  be  rendered 
serviceable  in  no  way  so  well  as  in  teaching  schools. 

Again,  if  brought  mto  regular  habits  and  active  service  as 
teachers,  the  discipline  is  very  valuable  in  rendering  them 
«tabl'\  active,  and  useful  members  of  the  native  church,  in 


46  MISSION   SCHOOLS, 

giving  tliem  cliaracter  and  fitting  them  for  higher  posts  of 
usefulness  in  the  mission.  It  is  a  question  whether  native 
converts  shouki  be  employed  as  assistants  unless  they  have 
education  and  capacity  sufficient  to  teach  at  least  the  rudi- 
ments of  their  own  language.  When  this  is  not  the  case, 
and  they  are  employed  only  to  converse  with  people  at 
large  on  the  subject  of  Christianity,  their  active  habits 
seldom  improve,  and  their  office  is  soon  looked  upon  as  a 
sinecure  by  their  heathen  neighbors,  and  often  by  the  other 
native  Christians.  Whereas,  teaching  is  visible  and  actual 
service,  and  in  m}^  own  experience  and  observation  native 
converts  thus  brought  into  regular  and  active  habits  as 
teachers  will  effect  more  to  make  known  the  truth  to  others 
by  voluntary  effi^rts  out  of  school-hours,  than  those  above 
alluded  to  who  do  not  teach  at  all. 

It  is  evident,  then,  that  there  are  many  and  valid  reasons 
for  the  employment  of  native  converts  as  teachers.  The 
points  to  be  vigilantl}^  guarded  by  the  missionary  are,  that 
no  convert  be  employed  merely  for  giving  him  a  support ;  no 
one  who  is  wanting  in  education  or  capacity ;  and  that  no 
one  when  employed  have  too  light  duty — too  few  pupils  to 
occupy  his  time  and  tax  his  abilities.  This  last  danger  is 
most  common  when  such  teachers  are  employed  in  villages 
at  a  distance  from  the  missionary,  for  the  sake  of  two  or 
three  Christian  families  whose  children  become  irregular  in 
attendance,  or  are  kept  at  home  by  their  parents  for  months 
together,  it  may  be,  as  in  harvest-time,  the  teacher  still  re- 
ceiving his  pay  while  he  performs  no  actual  service. 

Vernacular  and  English  Schools. 

A  fourth  distinction  in  mission  schools  classifies  them  as 
vernacidojr  and  English  schools.  By  vernacular  are  generally 
meant  the/ree  schools  which  missionaries  have  found  it  ex- 
pedient to  establish  for  teaching  the  common  branches  of 
study,  and  imparting  Christian  instruction  in  the  language 
of  the  different  heathen  people  among  whom  they  labor. 

For  these  schools  all  the  arguments  appl}^  which  can  be 
urged  in  favor  of  a  good  system  of  common  schools  in  a 


VERXACULAR  AND   ENGLISH  SCHOOLS.  47 

Christian  land,  and  to  these  must  be  superadded  their  value 
in  removing  heathen  prejudices,  scientific  errors  and  debas- 
ing ignorance,  in  conciliating  the  heathen,  and  bringing 
them  to  listen  to  the  Gospel,  and,  in  fine,  all  those  consider- 
ations mentioned  above  in  speaking  of  heathen  and  Christ- 
ian teachers. 

But  vernacular  teaching  is  not  confined  to  this  class  of 
schools.  Vernacular  studies  form  a  prominent  department 
in  most  of  the  higher  schools  and  seminaries  in  which  Eng- 
lish also  is  taught ;  and  doubtless  this  characteristic  obtains 
in  all  our  most  valuable  missionary  institutions. 

By  English  schools^  then,  are  not  meant  those  only  in 
which  all  study  and  teaching  are  restricted  to  the  English 
language.  A  few  such  there  may  be;  but  most  English 
schools  have  a  vernacular  department,  and  some  only  teach 
English  as  one  branch  of  study,  in  the  same  manner  as 
Latin  or  Greek  is  taught  in  European  and  American  institu- 
tions. Such  was  the  case  in  the  late  Mission  Seminary  at 
Ahmednuggur.  As  to  the  utility  and  expediency  of  these 
English  schools  in  our  missions,  time  and  space  will  here 
allow  but  a  brief  reference  to  a  few  of  the  considerations 
which  have  influenced  the  minds  of  those  who  have  estab- 
lished and  conducted  them. 

1.  They  have  found  in  heathen  youth  an  earnest  desire  to 
acquire  a  knowledge  of  English,  and  hence  English  schools 
have  proved  most  effective  in  bringing  the  higher  and  better 
classes  under  the  influence  of  the  missionary  and  of  the 
Gospel. 

2.  The  English  language  unlocks  the  treasures  of  Western 
science,  and  thus  becomes  a  most  effective  agent  in  over- 
throwing the  false  systems  of  heathenism  which  always 
combine  scientific  and  theological  errors  in  their  sacred 
books. 

3.  The  English  language  unlocks  the  treasures  of  theo- 
logy and  scripture  exegesis,  and  is  very  desirable  and  useful 
in  training  a  native  ministry. 

4.  Native  preachers  should  have  access  to  the  English 
language  and  all  its  Christian  science  and  literature,  and 


48  MISSIOX  SCHOOLS. 

avail  themselves  of  these  in  Christianizing  their  own  lan- 
gnage  and  creating  a  vernacnlar  Christian  literature. 

5.  In  India  and  some  other  countries,  so  strong  is  the 
desire  for  a  knowledge  of  English  that  such  institutions 
become  necessary  in  a  mission  in  order  to  retain  its  more 
intelligent  and  valuable  converts  in  service,  who  otherwise 
seek  connections  with  other  missions  where  they  can  enjoy 
the  advantage  of  such  institutions,  or  resort  to  government 
schools  with  great  risk  to  tlieir  Christian  character  and  use- 
fulness. These  and  other  considerations  have  usually  been 
found  sufficiently  cogent  to  lead  to  the  establishment  of 
Enolish  schools  in  most  or  all  the  missions  of  the  American 

c 

Board. 

Among  missionaries  in  India  there  is  almost  a  universal 
opinion  that  such  schools  are  one  of  the  most  efficient  means 
for  bringing  the  higher  castes  under  the  influence  of  the  Gos- 
pel and  leading  to  their  conversion. 

Experience   of  European   Missionaries. 

The  results  of  such  schools  in  the  Scotch  Free  Church 
Mission  furnish  very  satisfactory  evidence  on  this  point. 
In  their  mission  at  Madras  w^ere  recently  reported  2250 
pupils  in  their  English  schools — the  pupils  being  of  every 
caste  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest.  In  giving  a  summary 
of  results  the  missionaries  say:  "The  native  Christian  con- 
gregation at  Madras  is  mainly  the  fruit  of  teaching  and 
preaching  in  the  schools.  ...  It  has  increased  since 
18-11  from  three  Hindu  young  men,  as  first  fruits,  to  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  converts,  male  and  female,  of  whom 
more  than  sixty  are  communicants.  A  large  proportion  of 
this  number  were  brought  into  the  church  from  respectable 
caste  families  at  Madras  and  the  branch  schools.  .  .  . 
Many  of  the  converts  are  well  educated,  some  of  them  highly 
so,  and  maintain  themselves  as  teachers,  catechists,  writers, 
and  medical  pupils.  They  are  almost  all  able,  as  well  males 
as  females,  to  speak  English,  and  to  read  and  understand 
books  and  discourses  in  it,  in  addition  to  knowing  their  own 
t()n_qu(\'-^.     .     .     .     Besides  the  three  ordained  native  mis 


EXPERIKXCE    OF   AMEEICAN    MISSTOXARrKS.  -fO 

si(jnaries,   a  band  of  ten   students   are   preparing   for   the 
ministry." 

Mention  is  also  made  of  some  ten  students  wlio  had  re- 
ceived their  first  impressions  and  convictions  of  the  truth  in 
those  English  schools,  and  who  had  subsequently  been  bap- 
tized in  other  missions. 

In  mentioning  other  collateral  results  it  is  further  stated 
that  "  the  mission  has  been  honored  to  give  a  great  impulse 
to  native  education,  male  and  female.  It  has  sent  forth  not 
a  few  well-educated  3'oung  men  to  conduct  and  assist  in 
Christian  schools,  and  to  set  agoing  among  the  Hindu  com- 
munity schools  of  their  own,  both  for  males  and  females. 
Above  all,  it  has  been  j^rivileged  to  imbue  with  the  leaven 
of  God's  word  many  thousands  of  Hindu  youths,  and  hun- 
dreds of  Mohammedans,  and  has  thus  been  paving  the  way 
for  greater  triumphs  of  the  Gospel  in  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
power." 

The  experience  of  the  London  Missionary  Society  is  much 
in  point.  They  commenced  a  vernacular  seminary  at  Ban- 
galore for  training  native  converts  for  the  ministry,  and  for 
many  years  restricted  all  their  labors  ver}^  much  to  the 
native  languages.  But  failing  to  secure  a  well-qualified 
native  ministry,  they  have  lately  established  an  English 
High  School  at  Madras  which  now  contains  more  than  four . 
hundred  youths.  They  have  also  English  schools  at  Bel- 
lary,  Belgaum,  and  all  their  larger  stations. 

The  results  in  the  Scotch  Missions  at  Calcutta  and  Bom- 
bay are  much  the  same  as  at  Madras. 

Expei*ience  of  American  Missionaries. 

Rev.  Dr.  Winslow,  speaking  of  the  schools  of  his  own 
Mission  at  Madras,  very  appropriately  remarks:  ^'Four 
young  men,  baptized  while  in  the  English  school,  in  which 
three  of  them  are  now  teaching,  the  other  being  an  assistant 
catechist,  and  four  more,  at  least,  who  received  in  it  good 
impressions  and  have  since  been  baptized  elsewhere,  are 
witnesses  that  the  great  Master  does  not  wholly  disapprove 
oftbi'^.form  of  labor."  •     •     >• 


60  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

During  the  six  years  the  English  Seminary  at  Ahmedniig- 
gur  was  under  my  supervision,  ten  young  men  of  its  most 
promising  students  were  hopefully  converted  and  brought 
into  the  Church.  Eight  or  ten  more  have  been  brought  in 
since. 

The  results  of  English  schools  in  the  Ceylon  Mission  are 
equally  conclusive,  as  will  appear  in  the  sequel.  So  that 
from  the  widest  observation  of  the  facts,  as  well  as  from  the 
arguments  of  the  case,  we  are  constrained  to  feel  that  these 
schools  bear  the  seal  of  God's  approval ;  that  in  his  Provi- 
dence they  become  a  very  effective  agency  for  bringing 
Christian  truth  in  contact  with  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the 
better  classes  of  the  heathen,  and  leading  to  their  conversion 
— an  agency  valuable  also  in  training  an  efl&cient  native 
ministry,  and  one  which  missionaries,  especially  in  India, 
can  not  neglect  to  use  without  proving  unfaithful  to  their 
sacred  trust. 

Boarding-Schools. 

Boarding-schools  have  been  found  expedient  and  useful 
in  most  or  all  the  missions  of  the  American  Board.  Such 
schools  are  found  desirable  in  Christian  lands,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  the  arguments  in  favor  of  them  here,  some  of  the 
considerations  which  have  led  to  their  use  in  the  missions 
are  as  follows : 

1.  Boarding-schools  isolate  children  and  youth  from  the 
constant  influence  of  heathen  parents  and  friends. 

2.  They  relieve  the  pupils  from  the  necessity  of  daily  per- 
forming idol  worship,  and  from  the  interruptions  caused  by 
frequent  heathen  festivals,  pilgrimages,  etc.,  so  that  their 
progress  in  study  and  Christian  knowledge  becomes  more 
rapid  and  hopeful. 

3.  Boarding-schools  furnish  the  best  facilities  for  training 
native  teachers,  catechists,  and  preachers,  who  generally  can 
not  give  their  time  to  study  unless  supported. 

4.  The  food  and  clothing  furnished  operates  as  an  addi- 
tional inducement  for  bringing  pupils  under  Christian  in- 
struction. This  argument  is  valid  only  so  far  as  the  bare 
offer  of  instruction  fails  to  draw  pupils  in  sufficient  numbers, 
or  those  of  the  cl«,S3  desired. 


BOARDING-SCHOOLS.  61 

5.  When  the  pupils  of  different  castes  are  required  to  sit 
and  eat  together,  these  schools  become  a  very  effective 
agency  in  breaking  up  caste  distinctions. 

6.  They  furnish  facilities  for  educating  orphans  and  indi- 
gent pupils,  when  desirable,  and  an  asylum  for  young  con- 
verts when  obliged  to  seek  protection  from  the  persecution 
of  heathen  relatives.  Each  of  these  arguments  admits  of  in- 
definite expansion  and  a  large  induction  of  facts  and  results. 

In  one  such  school  for  girls  in  our  Ceylon  Mission,  out 
of  222  girls — the  whole  number  received  into  the  school  up 
to  a  given  date — 175  became  members  of  the  church.  In 
the  principal  male  boarding-school  of  the  same  mission,  out 
of  670  pupils,  (the  whole  number,)  352  were  hopefully  con- 
verted and  received  into  the  Christian  church.  From  facts 
like  these,  it  would  seem  that  these  schools  prove  yery  use- 
ful and  effective,  even  if  viewed  only  as  converting  agencies. 

Of  all  the  various  schools  here  described  it  should  be 
remarked : 

1.  They  have  been  in  general  use  in  the  missions  of  the 
American  Board  from  its  origin. 

2.  The  boarding  character  of  some,  the  use  of  the  English 
language,  and  the  employment  of  heathen  teachers,  have  been 
with  the  full  knowledge  and  sanction  of  the  of&cers  of  the 
Board. 

3.  In  regard  to  those  missions  in  which  boarding-schools, 
English  schools,  and  heathen  teachers  have  been  most  ex- 
tensively employed,  frequent  reports  and  resolutions  have 
been  adopted  at  the  annual  meetings  of  the  Board,  approving 
these  schools,  and  complimenting  the  missionaries  for  their 
wisdom  in  devising  and  adopting,  and  their  efficiency  in 
conducting  them.  So  that  if  these  schools  have  proved  a 
failure  and  entail  discredit,  this  must  be  shared  in  common 
by  the  Board,  its  officers,  and  missionaries.  But  if  results 
show  that  they  bear  the  seal  of  God's  approval  and  blessing, 
then  we  will  all  unite  in  ascribing  glory  to  Him  who  conde- 
scends to  use  such  imperfect  human  agencies  in  effecting 
results  so  lasting  and  glorious. 

In  attempting  to  bring  to  view  the  results  of  these  schools 


52  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  they  liave  a  collateral  and  far- 
reaching  influence,  securing  results  which  can  never  be  cor- 
rectly estimated  in  this  world.  But  there  are  other  more 
immediate  results,  particularly  the  conversion  of  pupils  and 
teachers,  and  the  training  of  native  helpers  and  preachers, 
which  are  more  visible,  and  admit  of  little  or  no  difference 
of  opinion.  These  results  it  will  be  the  object  of  the  follow- 
ing pages  to  present  with  all  possible  accuracy  and  brevity. 


CHAPTER    III. 

CHARACTER   AND   RESULTS    OF   MISSION   SCHOOLS   IN   OUR 
BOMBAY    MISSION. 

Origin  of  the  American  Mission  in  Bombay. 

The  attempts  of  the  first  missionaries  of  the  American 
Board  to  establish  missions  in  India,  their  arrival  in  Calcut- 
ta, their  prohibition  and  banishment  by  the  government  of 
the  Hon.  East  India  Company,  their  dispersion  to  Burmah, 
Cejdon,  and  the  Isle  of  France,  where  still  rest  the  remains 
of  tlie  beloved  Harriet  JSTewell,  the  first  martyr  in  modern 
missions,  their  heroic  courage  and  endurance  in  "hoping 
against  hope,"  and  persisting  in  efforts  despite  opposition 
and  defeat,  their  subsequent  arrival  in  Bombay,  and  the  re- 
newed order  of  government  for  transportation  to  England, 
their  escape  to  Cochin,  their  arrest,  reconveyance  to  Bombay, 
and  long  detention  under  government  surveillance,  their 
earnest  and  touching  appeals  to  be  allowed  to  remain  and 
preach  the  Gospel  to  his  heathen  subjects,  and  their  ultimate 
success  in  gaining  a  foothold  there — these  facts  must  ever 
form  a  memorable  page  in  the  annals  of  modern  missions, 
and  especially  of  the  American  Board. 

Gordon  HaU's  Appeal  to  the  Governor  of  Bombay. 

Their  final  appeal  to  Sir  Evan  Napean,  then  Governor  of 
Bombay,  is  worthy  of  the  most  devoted  martyrs  who  have 
ever  lived,  suffered,  or  died  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  It  closes 
in  the  following  language,  namely  : 

"  We  most  earnestly  entreat  you  not  to  send  us  away 
from  these  heathen.     We  entreat  you  by  the  high  probabil- 


64:  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

itj  tliat  an  official  permission  from  the  supreme  government, 
for  us  to  remain  here,  will  shortly  be  received,  and  that 
something  more  general,  and  to  the  same  effect,  will  soon 
arrive  from  England;  we  entreat  you  by  the  time  and 
money  already  expended  on  our  mission,  and  by  the  Christ- 
ian hopes  and  prayers  attending  it,  not  utterly  to  defeat  its 
pious  object  by  sending  us  from  the  countr}^  We  entreat 
you  by  the  spiritual  miseries  of  the  heathen,  who  are  daily 
perishing  before  your  eyes,  and  under  your  Excellency's 
government,  not  to  prevent  us  from  preaching  Christ  to 
them.  We  entreat  you  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  which  he 
shed  to  redeem  them;  as  ministers  of  Him  who  has  all 
power  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and  who,  with  his  farewell 
and  ascending  voice,  commanded  his  ministers  to  go  and 
teach  all  nations^  we  entreat  you  not  to  prohibit  us  from 
teaching  these  heathens.  By  all  the  principles  of  our  holy 
religion,  by  which  you  hope  to  be  saved,  we  entreat  you  not 
to  hinder  us  from  preaching  this  same  religion  to  these 
perishing  idolaters.  By  all  the  solemnities  of  the  judgment- 
day,  when  your  Excellency  must  meet  your  heathen  sub- 
jects before  God's  tribunal,  we  entreat  you  not  to  hinder  us 
from  preaching  to  them  that  Gospel  which  is  able  to  prepare 
them  as  well  as  you  for  that  awful  day.  By  all  the  dread 
of  being  found  in  the  catalogue  of  those  who  persecute  the 
Church  of  God,  and  resist  the  salvation  of  men,  we  entreat 
your  Excellency  not  to  oppose  the  prayers  and  efforts  of  the 
Church,  by  sending  back  those  whom  the  Church  has  sent 
forth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  preach  his  Gospel  among 
the  heathen ;  and  we  earnestly  beseech  Almighty  God  to 
prevent  such  an  act,  and  now  and  ever  to  guide  your  Ex- 
cellency in  that  way  which  shall  be  most  pleasing  in  his 
sight. 

"  But  should  your  Excellency  finally  disregard  the  con- 
siderations we  have  presented,  should  we  be  compelled  to 
leave  this  land,  we  can  only  say.  Adieu,  till  we  meet  you 
face  to  face  at  God's  tribunal." 

Here  breathed  the  spirit  of  earnest,  devoted,  and  God- 
fearing men,  and  well  has  it  been  remarked,  that:  "Notliing 


OKAl.    PREACHING    UNSATISFACTORV.  55 

but  the  consciousness  of  the  high  spirituality  of  their  object, 
and  the  impossibility  of  connecting  it  with  questions  of  a 
secular  nature,  imparted  boldness  to  our  brethren  to  make 
this  appeal,  and  gave  it  favor  and  efficiency  in  the  high 
places  of  power." 

Oral  Preaching  Unsatisfactory. 

And  it  should  be  further  remarked  that  these  were  the 
men,  thus  deeply  impressed  with  the  high  spirituality  of 
their  object  and  labors,  who  first  found  it  necessary  to  resort 
to  schools  for  heathen  children,  and  employed  '•''heathen 
teachers'^  in  prosecuting  their  work. 

Messrs.  Hall  and  Nott  arrived  at  Bombay  on  the  11th  of 
February,  1813,  and  from  this  time  dates  the  origin  of  the 
Bombay  Mission,  the  first  and  oldest  mission  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board.  Mr.  Newell  joined  them  on  the  7th  of  March, 
1814.  From  ignorance  of  the  language,  and  the  peculiar 
embarrassments  arising  from  the  opposition  and  restraints  of 
government,  it  is  evident  little  missionary  labor  can  have 
been  effected  in  those  first  years  of  the  mission. 

Near  the  close  of  1814,  we  find  on  record  that  they 
preached  in  English  every  Sabbath,  in  the  quarters  which 
had  been  assigned  them  by  government,  "  and  also  at  an- 
other place  a  short  distance  from  the  town,"  and  they  "had 
opened  a  school^  which  they  hoped  would  in  the  end  become 
a  boarding-school  of  considerable  importance  to  the  mis- 
sion." 

Of  their  labor  sin  1815  we  find  the  following  record  : 

"  They  had  acquired  such  familiarity  with  the  Mahratta 
language  that  they  were  able  to  commence  their  great  work 
of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen.  But  the  reader 
must  not  imagine  that  the  heathen  came  by  hundreds  on  the 
Sabbath  to  hear  them,  and  listened  attentively,  like  a  Christ- 
ian congregation,  to  sermons  half  an  hour  or  an  hour  long. 
Instead  of  this,  they  had  no  stated  congregation  of  heathen 
bearers.  They  were  obliged  to  go  to  the  temples,  the  mar- 
kets, and  other  places  of  public  resort,  and  converse  witb 
such  as  would  hear  them." 


;o6  MlriSIOX  s<;{iooi.ri. 


Necessary  Kesort  to  Schools. 


This  impossibility  of  gatliering  a  stated  audience  by 
preaching,  forced  upon  the  attention  of  these  devoted  men 
t)ie  expediency  and  necessity  of  schools  as  a  means  of  coming- 
in  contact  with  the  people,  and  gaining  their  attention  to 
the  truth.  Hence,  in  the  same  paragraph  with  the  above 
extract  we  find  recorded  :  "  They  made  such  efiorts  as  their 
means  allowed  for  the  education  of  heathen  children,  and 
strongly  recommend  this  department  of  labor  to  the  Board." 

At  this  stage  of  the  mission  their  schools  were  wholly  for 
heathen  children^  and  they  could  employ  none  but  heathen 
teachers.  That  they  became  so  strongly  impressed  with  the 
value  of  tliese  schools  is  deserving  of  special  notice,  as  also 
the  reasons  for  this  impression.  That  they  were  earnest 
and  persevering  in  efforts  to  preach  to  the  people  in  their 
temples,  streets,  bazaars,  and  elsewhere,  is  abundantly  evi- 
dent from  the  liistory  of  their  labors,  and  especially  from 
their  private  journals.  The  following  brief  extracts  from 
the  journal  of  Gordon  Ilall  illustrate  this  point,  and  serve 
to  show  that  their  estimate  of  these  schools  arose  from  no 
pre-formed  theory,  but  from  their  daily  experience  : 

'^November  19,  1815,  Lord's  day. — In  the  morning  I  spoke 
in  four  different  places,  to  about  seventy  persons.  In  one 
of  the  places,  where  I  had  not  been  before,  read  a  tract  and 
addressed  about  twenty.  At  Boleshwur,  a  famous  temple,  a 
Brahman  expressed  great  indignation,  threatened,  and  told 
mc  I  should  not  come  there.  In  the  afternoon  I  spoke  in 
another  place,  where  I  had  not  before  been,  to  about  twen- 
ty ;  also  in  four  other  places.  At  Momadave,  a  place  cele- 
brated for  temples,  and  the  resort  of  Hindu  worshippers,  I 
held  a  long  discussion  w^ith  some  Brahmans,  in  the  midst 
of  sixty  or  seventy  people.  .  .  Have  spoken  in  all  to 
about  two  hundred  this  day." 

^'Monday,  20. — I  have  spoken  in  six  different  j)laces,  and 
in  all  to  more  than  one  hundred  persons  to-day.  .  .  Part 
of  the  time  a  few  mocked  and  were  noisy.  It  is  one  part 
uf  a  missionary's  trials,   rightly  to  bear  the  impertinence 


NECESSARY  RESORT  TO   SCHOOLS.  57 

contradictions,   insolence  and  reproaches  of  men  who  are 
sunk  to  the  lowest  degradation,  both  mental  and  moral." 

^^  Tuesday^  2\. — To-day  I  have  spoken  in  several  places 
to  about  one  hundred  persons.  Six  or  eight  of  them  were 
Jews.  In  one  place  I  addressed  a  considerable  number  in 
front  of  a  large  temple,  where  a  woman  was  fulfilling  a  vow 
to  her  idol,  by  giving  it  half-a  dozen  small  Lamps,  ghee, 
cocoa-nuts,  rice  and  flow^ers,  et(\  .  .  As  I  proceeded, 
some  agitation  arose  amcmg  the  people;  and  one  or  two 
cried  out :  '  Come  away  from  him  ;  come  away.'  .  .  One, 
blustering  up,  said  to  me :  '  How  many  months  have  you 
been  preaching  to  these  people,  and  nobody  has  regarded 
you?'" 

"  Wednesdau^  22.  —  Walked  out  as  usual  at  four  o'clock 
P.M.,  and  spoke  to  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  people; 

.  .  At  another  place  Avhere  I  addressed  the  people, 
there  were  several  hundreds  of  wooden  gods  under  one 
small  shed,  which  served  as  a  temple.  Here  scores  of  sheep 
are  at  some  seasons  offered  in  sacrifice  to  these  wooden 
gods." 

"  Thursday^  23. — To  day  have  spoken  in  five  or  six  places 
to  about  one  hundred  of  the  heathen.  I  saw  a  man  draff- 
ging  out  of  a  house  a  woman  by  her  hair,  w^hom  I  supposed 
to  be  his  wife.  Similar  instances  of  abuse  almost  daily 
occur." 

''^ Friday^  2-1:. — To-day  have  spoken  in  several  places,  to 
more  than  one  hundred  people." 

'■'  Sat'O'day,  25. — This  day  addressed  about  seventy  per- 
sons, and  in  the  course  of  the  past  \veek  have  spoken  to 
more  than  eight  hundred  persons.  Blessed  be  God  for  the 
privilege !  .  -  But  alas!  w^hen  I  fix  my  eyes  only  on  the 
people,  all  is  dark  as  night.  .  .  Thousands  have  heard  from 
our  lips  the  tidings  of  the  Gospel,  and  many  more  are  still 
liearing  them  from  day  to  day.  But  alas  !  so  fiir  as  we  can 
see,  all  seems  to  be  as  the  seed  that  fell  by  the  wayside." 

Here  is  a  week's  experience  of  one  of  the  first  and  most 
devoted  missionaries  of  the  American  Board,  in  efibrts  to 
bring  heathen  under  the  influence  of  the  Gospel  without 

3-^ 


58  MISSION"   SCHOOLS. 

schools.  He  was  in  the  populous  city  of  Bombay,  where 
by  going  to  different  localities  he  might  seldom  or  never  fail 
of  an  irregular  audience.  But  such  hearers  did  not  satisfy 
him.  He  saw  no  clear  and  permanent  impression  made  on 
their  minds  and  hearts.  He  saw  that  the  m^ore  frequently 
he  went  among  them,  the  more  were  they  inclined  to  disre- 
gard and  abuse  him ;  and  though  ready  to  persevere  in  this 
kind  of  labor,  and  endure  any  amount  of  contradiction, 
insolence  and  abuse,  yet  he  longed  to  bring  some  under  stated 
and  regular  Christian  instruction.  Hence  originated  the 
schools  with  heathen  teachers,  as  the  only  effective  agency  for 
securing  this  object. 

1816.— At  the  close  of  1816,  "their  journal  states  that 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  nearly  three  hundred 
heathen  boys  had  been  receiving  instruction  under  their 
care." 

1817. — In  the  annals  of  this  mission  for  1817,  we  find 
that  "two  new  schools  had  been  opened,  making  six  in  all, 
having  four  hundred  pupils  on  their  lists." 

In  1818  two  new  schools  were  established  on  the  conti- 
nent, and  "the  schools  on  the  island  of  Bombay  continued 
to  increase.  In  April  there  were  eleven,  having  six  hun- 
dred regular  attendants,  and  as  man}^  more  who  attended 
irregularly.  At  the  end  of  the  year  the  number  of  schools 
was  fourteen.  .  .  Though  the  teachers  w^ere  all  heathen, 
the  mission  prescribed  the  course  of  study,  so  that  instruc- 
tion in  heathenism  was  excluded,  and  much  scriptural  truth 
and  morality  inculcated.  Thus  they  were  raising  up  a  gen- 
eration who  would  not  be  the  slaves  of  Hindu  habits  of 
thought,  and  w^ho  could  better  appreciate  the  claims  of  a 
pure  morality  and  of  evangelical  truth." 

Gordon  Hall's  Estimate  of  these  Schools. 

Deeply  devoted  as  Hall  was  to  the  spiritual  object  of  the 
mission,  experience  soon  taught  him  that  these  schools  were 
his  most  effective  agency.  He  therefore  devoted  time  to  the 
preparation  of  school-books.  There  is  still  extant  and  much 
in  use  in  Westera  India,  a  volume  prepared  by  him  to  assist 


GORDON    hall's   ESTIMATE    OF   THESE   SCHOOLS.          59 

natives  in  acquiring  the  English  language.  Thus  did  he 
seek,  in  every  proper  way,  to  bring  the  heathen  under  his 
influence.  It  was  after  seven  years'  experience  that  he  wrote 
to  his  much  venerated  teacher,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Porter,  of  An- 
dover,  as  follows,  namely  : 

"  Native  schools  and  the  School-Book  Society  are  among 
the  most  promising  objects  in  that  region,  [Madras.]  Those 
books  which  the  Society  is  now  translating  and  printing,  in 
the  rudiments  of  general  science,  will  prove  a  powerful 
auxili-^ry  in  the  propagation  of  gospel  truth.  Our  mission, 
without  any  very  great  expense,  might  do  much  in  the  same 
way.  All  our  exertions  in  the  way  of  schools  and  school- 
books,  are  attended  with  much  encouragement."  And  again 
he  writes :  "  The  schools  continue  to  prosper.  Our  funds 
for  the  last  six  months  have  not  allowed  us  to  open  any  new 
ones,  though  we  have  had  many  pressing  calls  to  do  so. 
This  is  greatly  to  be  lamented.  The  business  of  schooling 
among  the  natives  is  every  day  becoming  more  and  more 
interesting,  promising  and  popular." 

Such  became  the  experience  and  conviction  of  this  de- 
voted missionary,  of  whom  it  has  been  fitly  testified :  "  But 
few  men  have  possessed  minds  more  comprehensive  and 
.better  balanced  in  regard  to  the  great  work  of  evangelizing 
the  world  than  Mr.  Hall." 

1819. — "In  August  five  new  schools  had  been  established. 
During  the  remainder  of  the  year  they  received  frequent 
applications  from  the  natives  to  establish  schools,  but  they 
could  not  be  opened  for  the  want  of  funds.  The  education 
of  native  children  in  the  families  of  the  missionaries,  to  any 
considerable  extent,  proved  impracticable,  from  the  impos- 
sibility of  procuring  pupils." 

1820. — "  At  the  close  of  this  year  the  mission  had  twen- 
ty-one schools,  containing  about  1050  scholars,  who  were 
learning  to  understand  and  respect  Christianity." 

So  much  had  these  schools  extended,  and  so  effective  were 
they  in  making  known  Christian  truth,  that  the  Hon.  Mount- 
stuart  Elphinstone,  then  Governor  of  Bombay,  though  ap- 
proving the  general  object  of  the  schools,  "feared  that  too 


60  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

rapid  advances  would  be  made  against  the  prejudices  of  the 
natives."' 

These  schools  became  centres  of  light,  not  only  to  the 
pupils,  but  through  them  to  their  parents  and  adult  friends; 
for  the  acquisitions  at  school  were  sure  to  be  repeated  at 
home,  and  furnish  subjects  for  much  conversation  among 
the  people.  Besides,  many  of  the  parents  and  friends  were 
attracted  to  the  school  -  rooms,  and  there  listened  to  the 
Christian  lessons  t>f  the  pupils,  and  the  preaching  of  the 
miissionary. 

Testimony  of  Mr.  Hall's  Biographer. 

In  regard  to  these  schools,  we  find  Gordon  Hall's  intelli- 
gent biographer  and  fellow-laborer  giving  testimony  as  fol- 
lows: ''The  opportunity  which  these  schools  afford  the 
missionaries  of  communicating  religious  instruction  not 
only  to  the  children,  but  to  their  parents  and  friends,  is  wor- 
thy of  special  attention.  The  school-rooms  are,  in  fact,  cha- 
})els,  where  the  missionaries  preach  the  Grospel  to  the  w^hole 
neighborhood,  who  usually  assemble  whenever  the  school  is 
visited  by  the  missionary.  Besides,  not  only  the  scholars, 
])ut  their  parents  and  friends  manifest  a  warm  attachment  lo 
the  mission  ;  and  in  this  way  the  mission  acquires  an  influ- 
ence which  it  could  obtain  by  no  other  means.  Several 
years  may  indeed  elapse  before  we  shall  hear  much  of  the 
good  effects  of  these  schools ;  but  it  is  impossible  that  child- 
ren thus  educated,  should  ever  become  bigoted  pagans ; 
and  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  the  Gospel,  in  which  they 
are  so  fully  instructed,  will  by  and  by  take  hold  of  their 
hearts.  It  is  but  reasonable  to  expect  that  when  these  boys, 
thus  educated,  shall  become  men,  and  take  an  active  part  on 
the  stage  of  life,  their  influence  will  be  extensively  felt  as 
teachers  of  schools,  and  in  other  departments  of  life." 

I  am  happy  to  bear  witness  that  this  expectation  has  not 
been  disappointed.  Thirty  years  have  passed  away  since 
the  above  was  placed  on  record.  A  manifest  change  has 
come  over  India  in  the  vicinity  of  all  mission  stations — a 
change  which  is  commanding  the  attention  of  the  most  in- 


PRACTICK    OF   THE    MISSIONARIES.  81 

different  and  faithless.  And  among  the  agencies  vdnch  have 
been  employed  in  bringing  about  this  change,  none  have 
been  more  effective  tiian  mission  schools. 


Practice   of  the   Missionaries. 

So  thoroughly  did  the  missionaries  become  convinced  of 
the  value  of  these  schools,  tluit  they  continued  to  increase 
them  to  the  extent  of  their  means,  and  when  these  failed  it 
became  a  cause  of  much  grief  Thus  the  history  of  their 
labors  for  1821,  after  mentioning  the  return  of  Mr.  Bard- 
well  to  America,  from  failure  of  health,  and  the  death  of 
^[r.  Newell,  adds : 

182 1. — ''  This  mission  had  other  afflictions.  The  deficiency 
of  tlie  treasury  at  home  curtailed  its  means  of  usefulness. 
Their  joint  letter,  dated  Juh^  1st,  states  that  of  the  25 
schools  under  their  care,  the  want  of  funds  had  compelled 
them  to  discontinue  10 ;  thus  abandoning  500  children, 
at  least  for  the  present,  to  the  uncounteracted  influences  of 
heathenism.'' 

In  this  emergenc}^,  they  drew  encouragement  fi'om  the 
fact,  that  Mr.  Hall  had  succeeded  in  bringing  into  his  family 
''  ten  or  twelve  native  children  as  boarding  scholars,"  and 
Messrs.  Nichols  and  Graves  each  of  them  four  more.  They 
now  began  to  hope  that  the  plan  of  boarding-schools,  an  ob- 
ject of  much  desire  with  them  and  the  officers  of  the  Board, 
would  at  length  succeed. 

1822.  —  This  year  "the  number  of  schools,  which  had 
been  reduced  to  15,  was  increased  to  18.  The  number  of 
children  received  into  mission  families  for  education  was 
greatly  increased." 

1823. — The  estimate  of  these  schools,  by  European  Christ- 
ians living  on  the  ground  and  observing  their  character  and 
influence,  is  well  worthy  of  notice.  This  estimate  may  be 
inferred  from  their  frequent  and  generous  contributions  for 
the  special  support  of  the  schools.  These  appear  in  success- 
ive years,  and  such  as  meet  the  eye  will  suggest  the  proper 
inference.     The  amount  contributed  this  year  was  "  about 


<)2  MIS.-SION    SCHOOLS. 

$1300."  ''  The  whole  number  of  the  schools,  at  the  end  of 
the  year,  was  26.     The  number  of  scholars  was  1454." 

1824. — So  generous  had  been  the  contributions  received 
for  schools  from  the  Governor  and  other  EurojDean  Christ- 
ians, that  the  mission  now  "resolved  to  increase  the  number 
of  schools  to  34,"  and  before  the  year  closed  they  increased 
them  to  39.  This  year  the  mission  commenced  a  school  for 
sirls,  the  first  ever  known  in  Western  India.  It  was  broken 
tip  in  a  short  time  by  the  death  of  the  teacher,  but  it  was 
resumed  the  following  year,  and  others  commenced. 

"  In  October,  Manuel  Antonio,  a  superintendent  of  schools 
in  the  service  of  the  mission,  requested  admission  to  the 
church." 

In  1825,  was  formed  "the  Bombay  Missionary  Union," 
"  for  promoting  Christian  fellowship,"  and  "  advancing  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  in  that  count^3^"  With  reference  to  this 
Union,  and  the  change  he  had  witnessed  during  his  residence 
in  Bombay,  Gordon  Hall  writes :  "  What  a  contrast  with 
the  trials  of  1813  and  1814  did  it  present !  Instead  of  being 
a  prisoner  under  sentence  of  transportation  from  the  land,  I 
found  mj^self  among  the  representatives  of  five  Christian 
missions,  now  carrying  on,  without  molestation,  their  vari- 
ous and  extensive  operations  in  this  immense  field,  where 
then  there  was  not  a  single  mission  established.  I  was  the 
patriarch  among  the  little  missionary  brotherhood — none 
around  me  so  old  in  years  and  missionary  labors,  and  not 
one  with  so  many  gray  hairs.  I  was  aftectingly  admonished 
but  greatly  encouraged."  One  of  the  chief  grounds  of  his 
encouragement  and  joy  is  thus  expressed  in  his  own  lan- 
guage: "Four  of  these  missions  have  in  operation  about  60 
schools,  in  which  are  more  than  3000  children  reading,  or 
daily  learning  to  read,  the  word  of  God,  and  receiving  cate- 
chetical instruction." 

The  schools  continued  to  prosper,  and  at  the  close  of  this 
year  the  girls'  schools  had  75  pupils. 

In  1826,  the  devoted  Gordon  Hall  was  attacked  with 
cholera  while  on  a  preaching  tour,  and  sweetly  rested  from 
his  labors  amidst  the  people  for  whom  he  had  come  to  toil 


MORAL   COURAGE   OF    BABA.TEE.  68 

and  die.  Thus  weakened,  the  mission  was  '*  obliged  to  de- 
cline pressing  invitations  to  open  free  scliools,"  Twenty- 
four  such  schools  were  in  operation,  of  which  9  girls'  schools 
contained  466  pupils.  The  fi'iends  of  the  mission  in  Bombay 
contributed  2032  rupees  for  their  support. 

I  have  thus  far  given  the  annual  statistics  of  the  schools 
to  show  their  increasing  favor  with  the  missionaries  and  the 
Board,  but  as  I  propose  to  condense  them  all  in  a  brief 
table  at  the  close  of  Chapter  IV.,  the  reader  will  no  longer 
look  for  them  in  the  text. 

In  1827,  a  female  teacher  died,  "giving  some  evidence  of 
piety."  The  contributions  of  English  friends  for  the  schools 
amounted  to  1880  rupees. 

Moral  Courage  of  Babajee. 

In  1828,  a  rule  was  adopted  "  requiring  teachers  and 
scholars  to  stand  during  prayer."  The  Brahman  teachers 
combined  to  resist  the  rule,  and  all  but  one,  named 
Babajee,  left  the  service  of  the  mission.  He  declared  the 
rule  required  nothing  improper  or  contrary  to  the  Hindu 
Shasters,  and  persisted  in  complying  with  it.  "  Council 
after  council  was  called  to  condemn  him  and  put  him  out  of 
caste,  at  one  of  which  at  least  a  thousand  Brahmans  were 
])resent.  He  appealed  to  their  common-sense  r.giiinst  the 
absurdity  of  persecuting  him  so  violently  for  "  such  an  act, 
''  while  there  were  Brahmans  present  with  whom  he  had 
eaten  beef  and  drunken  brandj^,  and  caroused  for  whole 
nights  together,  and  no  censure  had  been  inflicted  on  them. 
They,  however,  imposed  such  humiliating  penances  upon 
him,  and  were  so  resolute  in  their  wrath,  that  it  was  thought 
best  for  him  to  retire  awhile  to  the  Deccan."  But  '*  other 
teachers  soon  came  forward,  eager  to  be  emploj^ed  by  the 
mission  ;  and  many  of  the  Brahmans  who  had  left,  soon 
came  back  and  resumed  their  places,  submitting  to  the  offen- 
sive rule  without  further  contest.  After  a  while  Babajee 
came  back,  and  was  permitted  to  pursue  his  business  unmo- 
lested ;  but  these  events  did  much  to  cure  him  of  his  regard 
for  Brahmanism." 


64  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

This  case  brings  to  view  some  of  the  benefits  of  these 
schools.  They  secured  to  the  missionaries  a  hold  "upon  the 
teachers  and  scholars,  and  an  influence  over  the  community 
ivhich  they  had  no  other  means  of  gaining.  The  schools 
diffused  light  and  knowledge  among  the  people,  which 
alarmed  the  Brahmans  and  led  them  to  fear  any  farther  con- 
cessions ;  and  which  now  agitated  their  whole  body,  and 
doubtless  did  more  to  make  known  the  objects  and  doctrines 
of  Christianity,  during  this  discussion  and  excitement,  than 
could  have  been  effected  w^ithout  schools  in  many  long  years. 
The  ultimate  result  on  the  mind  of  Babajee  will  soon 
appear. 

In  1829,  "  The  superiority  of  the  mission  schools  w^as 
acknowledged  by  parents  and  chiklren  of  all  classes,  and 
contributions  in  Bombay,  for  their  support,  amounted  to 
1500  rupees." 

The  organs  of  the  Board  testify  this  year  as  follows  :  "The 
Brahmans  are  said  to  be  evidently  losing  their  hold  on  that 
portion  of  the  people  which  has  been  taught,  and  is  beginning 
to  read,  to  reason,  and  to  reflect."  "  There  are  adult  females 
connected  with  some  of  the  schools  wdio  give  pleasing  atten- 
tion to  religious  instruction." 

This  last  quotation  reveals  the  very  close  connection  and 
strong  influence  of  the  schools  in  the  conversion  even  of  the 
adult  converts. 

The  records  of  the  Board,  and  of  the  missions  every 
where  abound  in  testimony,  facts  and  incidents  showing  the 
great  value  of  these  schools.  Take  a  few  specimens,  as 
follows  : 

"  Mr.  Stone  found  every  where  in  his  tour  most  gratifying 
evidence  that  the  school  system  is  producing  a  change  high- 
ly favorable  to  the  introduction  of  the  Gospel."  "  It  is 
manifest  to  the  children  and  the  parents,  that  the  pupils  of 
the  mission  schools  learn  more  and  better  things,  than  they 
were  able  to  learn  from  any  other  quarter." 

What  wonder  that  we  hear  this  missionary  exclaiming  : 

"  Oh  1  that  I  had  the  thousandth  part  of  the  resources  of  the 
American  churches :  then  would  I  establish  schools  in  all 


COXVKMSTOX    OF   TITRFJ-:    HEATHEN   'J^EACHERS.  On 

these  pagan  villages,  which  like  so  many  springs  of  living 
water,  breaking  out  in  a  desert,  would  soon,  by  the  blessing 
of  God,  change  this  vast  moral  waste  into  the  garden  of  the 
Lord."  "  At  one  place  Mr.  Stone  found  several  of  the 
larger  scholars  had  a  good  understanding  of  the  Christian 
reUgion.  They  acknowledged  their  belief  in  its  truth,  and 
said  it  was  w^rong  to  Avorship  idols." 

In  1830,  the  records  of  the  Board  say  :  "  These  schools 
exert  a  flivorable  influence  on  the  character  of  the  villages 
w^here  they  are  situated,  and  tlie  missionaries  justly  regard 
them  as  so  many  lights  burning  amidst  the  deep  spiritual 
gloom  w^hich  covers  the  countrj-.  .  Nowhere  is  there  found 
such  a  disposition  to  receive  and  read  the  publications  of  the 
missionaries,  as  among  those  who  have  been  instructed  in 
the  mission  schools.  These  are  also  most  forward  to  listen 
to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  which,  owing  to  their  ac- 
quaintance with  Christian  books,  they  understand  better 
than  the  other  natives."  "  The  number  of  attendants  on 
public  worship  at  the  chapel  was  considerably  increased  by 
the  influence  of  the  schools." 

Conversion  of  three  Heathen  Teachers. 

1831. — This  year  the  missionaries  began  to  realize  more 
fully  their  hopes  from  these  schools  and  the  employment  of 
heathen  teachers.  For  eighteen  years  from  the  origin  of  the 
mission  they  had  found  it  impracticable  to  employ  any 
Christian  teachers.  During  these  3"ears  a  few  persons  had 
been  hopefully  converted  and  gathered  into  a  Christian 
Church,  mostly  in  connection  wnth  the  schools,  and  their 
labors  in  English.  These  w^ere  three  Europeans,  (two  of 
them  being  a  school-master  and  his  wnfe,)  one  American,  one 
Dane,  a  Portuguese  and  his  wife,  a  Malay  woman,  a  Mus- 
sulman, and  one  low-caste  Hindoo.  Of  the  whole  number, 
only  tJiree  were  natives  of  India,  two  of  whom,  and  also  the 
Portuguese  and  Mala}',  w^ere  connected  with  the  schools,  and 
thus  became  acquainted  with  saving  trutli.  There  is  also 
mention  made  of  three  other  persons,  two  of  whom  were 
teachers,  who  became  acquainted  witli  Christian  truth  in  the 


66  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

schools,  and  gave  good  evidence  of  conversion  on  their 
death -beds.  But  the  brightest  event  in  the  history  of  this 
mission  thus  far,  was  the  conversion,  this  year,  of  three 
heathen  teachers  of  high  caste.  These  were  the  Brahman. 
Babajee,  mentioned  already  in  1828,  and  two  others,  named 
Dajeeba  and  Moroba.  The  conversion  of  these  intelligent 
and  educated  high-caste  teachers  marks  an  era  in  the  history 
of  the  mission.  It  brought  fresh  hope  and  courage  and  joy 
to  the  hearts  of  the  toil-worn  missionaries,  while  at  the  same 
time  it  roused  the  native  community  to  a  sense  of  their  dan- 
ger from  these  mission  schools.  The  Brahmans  held  coun- 
cil after  council — all  Bombay  was  in  commotion,  and  peti- 
tions were  sent  to  the  British  Government,  praying  that 
these  schools  of  the  American  missionaries  might  be  inter- 
dicted by  legal  enactment.  Could  we  have  more  positive 
proof  of  the  wisdom  of  employing  such  heathen  teachers? 

1832. — Referring  to  the  records  of  this  year  we  find : 
"  Female  education  in  Bombay  is  gradually  assuming  a 
more  encouraging  appearance."  Of  their  preaching  tours, 
the  missionaries  say  :  '^  We  have  been  well  received  by  the 
people  generally ;  and  especially  in  the  villages  where  we 
have  schools  established,  a  desire  for  books  is  rapidly  increas- 
ing, and  a  preparation  of  mind,  to  read  them  with  profit, 
and  to  attend  on  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  advantage, 
was  manifest.  We  may  hope  that  the  schools  will  have  no 
small  share  of  influence  in  increasing,  as  they  have  had  in 
producing,  this  state  of  •  things.  Many  families  are  now 
blessed  with  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  and  tracts,  in 
consequence  of  these  schools,  which  otherwise  would  not 
have  been  the  case." 

1833. — The  missionaries  say  :  "  There  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  the  children  who  are  receiving  instruction  in 
these  schools,  will  by  no  means  be  so  tenacious  of  their 
idolatrous  and  superstitious  rites  as  their  fathers  are.  It  is 
ours  to  sow  the  seed,  water  it  with  our  prayers  and  tears, 
and  look  to  God  for  the  blessing  and  the  final  accomplish- 
ment of  all  his  purposes  of  grace  towards  the  heathen." 


DEATH   OF   GUXGAH   AND    BABAJEE.  67 


Death  of  Gungah. 

This  year  died  Gungah,  a  pupil  of  one  of  the  girls'  schools, 
who  had  for  some  time  been  regarded  as  hopefully  pious. 
Miss  Farrar,  who  had  taken  her  into  her  own  family,  says 
of  her  manifest  piety  :  '*  It  did  not  seem  to  matter  whom 
she  met,  or  where ;  if  there  appeared  a  suitable  opportu- 
nity for  her  to  speak  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  his  blessed 
cause,  she  was  not  backward  to  do  so.  She  manifested  a 
realizing  sense  of  her  depravity,  and  of  her  desert  for  sin, 
and  of  gratitude  for  the  great  goodness  of  God  to  her,  in 
blessing  the  means  for  bringing  her  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth,  and  for  her  hope  of  glory  through  a  crucified 
Saviour.  Her  mind  was  remarkably  clear  and  rational  to 
the  last.  Her  last  words  were,  '  I  am  looking  for  the 
coming  of  Jesus,'  and  she  sunk  into  his  blessed  embrace,  as 
1  trust,  without  a  sigh." 

Death  of  Babajee. 

This  year  died  Babajee  also,  and  the  record  concerning 
him  is  a  permanent  testimony  to  the  value  of  such  educated 
lieaihen  teachers^  when  once  conv»ted,  in  making  known  the 
Gospel  to  others.  A  few  sentences  of  this  record  are  as 
follows  : 

''  His  death  is  a  very  great  loss,  not  only  to  the  particu- 
lar mission  to  which  he  belonged,  but  to  the  cause  of  Christ 
in  general.  Though  he  was  not  permitted  to  labor  in  the 
service  of  his  divine  Master  above  eighteen  months,  still  he 
was  enabled  to  accomplish  more  in  this  short  period  than 
can  ordinarily  be  expected  of  a  foreigner  during  twice  that 
time.  He  addressed  his  own  people  in  their  vernacular 
tongue.  He  knew  their  prejudices  and  superstitions,  their 
rites,  and  their  sacred  books.  His  appeals  to  the  corrupt 
priesthood,  from  which  he  came  out,  were  as  pointed  arrows, 
prepared,  not  in  the  spirit  of  rancorous  bitterness,  but  in 
the  spirit  of  divine  love.  Since  his  conversion  he  had  been 
a  most  ardent,  persevering  helper  in  the  work,  and  a  most 
sincere,  conscientious  Christian." 


68  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

In  reviewing  their  past  labors,  the  missionaries  this  year 
found  that  the  effective  years  of  labor  by  all,  from  the  ori- 
gin of  the  mission,  amounted  to  the  same  as  one  man  forty- 
nine  years ;  and  very  fitly  represent  that  if  any  thought 
little  or  nothing  had  been  accomplished  by  that  mission,  he 
would,  on  the  same  principle,  consider  the  183,600  men, 
who  left  their  homes  and  went  to  the  mountains  and  forests 
to  prepare  materials  for  the  temple,  as  having  effected 
nothing  by  all  their  labor  towards  building  that  magnificent 
structure  at  Jerusalem. 

Estimate  of  the  Schools  by  the  Board  and  the  Missionaries. 

1834. — The  estimation  in  which  the  schools  were  held  b}^ 
the  Board  at  this  date,  may  be  inferred  from  the  following 
resolution,  adopted  at  their  annual  meeting,  namely : 

^'  Resolved^  That  in  view  of  the  great  deficiency  of  mission- 
aries, the  Board  esteem  the  establishment  of  Itigh-schools  and 
seminaries  for  educating  native  catechists  and  preachers,  as 
highly  important ;  and  that  it  be  recommended  to  the  Pru- 
dential Committee  to  foster  those  seminaries  already  in  ope- 
ration, and  to  found  others  as  there  may  be  opportunit}', 
with  the  hope  of  supplying  in  part  the  deficiency  of  Chris- 
tian teachers  from  this  country." 

The  estimate  of  the  English  language  by  the  natives  had 
long  before  led  the  missionaries  to  avail  themselves  of  it  to 
some  extent,  and  some  young  Brahmans  had  been  taught 
English  in  private  classes.     The  Eeport  of  this  year  says  : 

"A  school  for  teaching  the  English  language  has  been 
commenced  at  Ahmednuggur,  and  another  at  Bombay,  with 
the  hope  that  each  of  them  will  grow  into  an  institution  of 
more  importance.  Their  average  attendance  may  be  about 
25.  It  has  not  yet  been  found  possible  to  get  up  hoarding- 
scliooh  on  the  plan  of  those  in  the  Ceylon  mission." 

So  much  were  the  home-officers  of  the  Board  impressed 
with  the  value  of  schools  among  the  Mahrattas,  that  this 
year  six  more  teachers  were  sent  out  from  America,  namely: 
Messrs.  Hubbard  and  Abbott,  with  their  wives,  and  Miss 
Kimball  and  ^liss  Grraves.  to  assist  in  teachino-  and  suoerin- 


EST! -MATE   OF  THE   SCHOOLS  BY  THE   BOARD.  69 

tending  tliem.  Miss  Farrar  continued  to  prosecute  her  zeal- 
ous labors  in  tliis  department,  as  she  has  done  to  the  present 
time,  and  the  other  ladies  of  the  mission  all  seem  to  have 
borne  a  part  in  the  teaching  and  care  of  schools,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  their  health  and  strength.  ''An  asylum  or  charitj 
school  was  opened  at  Bombay  in  the  summer  of  1834,  for 
the  reception  of  native  orphan  girls,  and  for  other  poor 
female  children."  "The  estimated  expense  of  feeding, 
clothing,  washing,  and  instructing  one  of  these  girls,  is 
about  a  dollar  a  month.  Ten  girls  have  beeii  received  and 
promise  well." 

1835. — This  year  the  English  school  at  Bombay  reports 
50  scholars,  and  another  English  school  was  commenced  at 
Mahim.  The  report  brings  to  view  the  earnest  desire  of 
the  Board  to  see  boarding-schools  in  operation  in  Bombay, 
and  the  great  hindrance  to  them  from  caste ;  hopes  Miss 
Farrar  will  yet  succeed,  and  mentions  with  encouragement 
that  Mrs.  Graves  had  '^  collected  40  girls  at  Satara." 

1836. — Of  the  free  schools  the  missionaries  say :  "One 
reason  of  supporting  these  schools  is,  they  furnish  a  medium 
of  communication  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  villasres." 
"  In  addition  to  the  advantages  which  these  schools  afford 
the  children  in  the  way  of  education  and  religious  instruc- 
tion, they  furnish  a  medium  of  communication  with  the 
inhabitants  of  the  villages,  and  thus  open  the  way  for  im- 
parting Christian  instruction."  "  To  raise  them  from  this 
state  of  ignorance,  to  remove  those  prejudices  which  keep 
them  morally  and  intellectually  degraded,  and,  above  all,  to 
inakc  them  acquainted  with  Christianity,  so  that  they  may 
feel  the  force  of  its  great  truths  on  their  hearts,  and  may 
become  wise  unto  salvation,  is  the  end  we  aim  to  accom- 
plish, in  our  efforts  in  the  cause  of  education." 

The  schools  were  still  the  principal  reliance  for  preaching 
audiences.  Of  the  stated  audience  in  Bomba}^,  it  is  said : 
"  The  assembly  consists  principallj^  of  the  larger  children 
from  the  boys'  and  girls'  schools,  of  the  teachers  of  the 
schools,  of  the  men  employed  in  the  printing  establishment, 
and  of  other  persons  connected  with  the  mission,  or  belong- 
ing to  the  families  composing  it."     "  Curiosity  will  some- 


70  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

times  induce  people  to  attend  for  one  or  two  Sabbaths,"  but 
for  a  stated  audience  it  was  found  of  no  avail. 

The  English  school  whicli  had  been  established  in  1834 
was  of  brief  continuance.  The  Annual  Keport  of  this  year 
says :  "  The  school  for  teaching  the  English  language  has 
been  relinquished,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  committee,"  [in 
Boston.]  The  intelligent  reader  will  hardly  be  able  to 
avoid  the  reflection  that  this  "  suggestion  of  the  Commit- 
tee" was  a  departure  from  the  broad  and  liberal  views  of 
the  early  officers  and  missionaries  of  the  Board,  and  illy 
accords  with  the  views  of  the  Secretary  at  a  still  later  date, 
(see  p.  22.)  Who  can  avoid  the  conviction  that  had  this 
English  school  been  allowed  to  continue,  and  grow  into  a 
large  and  valuable  institution,  similar  to  that  of  our  breth- 
ren of  the  Scotch  Free  Chnrch,  the  success  of  our  Bombay 
Mission  would  have  been  far  greater,  and  its  present  posi- 
tion and  prospects  much  more  hopeful  than  they  now  are  ? 

Two  or  three  who  had  long  been  instructed  in  the  schools 
were  this  year  received  into  the  church. 

1837. — In  this  year  of  financial  distress,  "  the  extension  of 
the  Mahratta  missions  was  checked  for  want  of  funds."  The 
reductions  necessitated  caused  a  voice  of  general  lamentation 
to  come  up  from  all  the  missions ;  and  in  the  statement  of 
the  Secretaries  at  the  annual  meeting,  they  say :  "  The  effects 
of  the  curtailment  were  first  felt  in  the  free  schools  and  semi- 
naries connected  with  the  missions,  and  they  were  disastrous 
and  painful  nearly  in  proportion  to  the  extent  and  success 
with  wdiich  they  had  before  been  conducted."  "  The 
schools  among  the  Mahrattas  suffered  much  from  the  cur- 
tailment, and  would  have  been  wholly  broken  up,  had  not 
timely  aid  been  furnished  by  friends  of  the  mission,  residing 
in  that  quarter." 

The  Secretaries'  estimate  of  these  schools  may  be  inferred 
from  their  opinion  of  the  disastrous  results  of  suspending 
them.     On  this  point  they  testify  as  follows : 

''  The  mere  suspension  of  the  schools  constitutes  but  a 
small  part  of  the  calamity  which  the  missions  are  suffering, 
in  this  respect.  There  is  the  difficulty  of  collecting  those 
pupils  again  when  the  missions  shall  have  the  means  to  re* 


OPPO.sniOX    OF   THE    IIIXDCS   TO   THE   SCHOOLS.  71 

ceive  and  instruct  tlicm,  requiring  perhaps  not  less  lime  and 
labor  than  were  necessary  at  first.  Then  ther(3  is  tlie  retard- 
ing of  the  education  of  native  preachers  and  other  helpers, 
wiio  are  so  much  needed,  in  addition  to  the  loss  of  most  of 
the  labor  and  expense  which  had  been  bestowed  upon  those 
candidates  for  such  employments,  who  haye  been  turned 
awav.  Then  there  is  tlie  diminished  number  at  the  word 
preached  on  the  Sabbath,  and  on  other  occasions.  The 
schools  are  the  preaching  places ;  and  the  masters  and 
pupils,  and  their  friends,  who  all  felt  that  the}^  were  receiy- 
ing  fayors  from  the  missions,  were  the  most  constant  and 
the  most  interested  hearers.  This  retroo-rade  movement 
has,  in  some  instances,  exerted  a  most  unhappy  influence 
upon  a  whole  heathen  community.*' 

The  inquiry  is  respectfully  proposed.  Why  this  lamenta- 
tion for  schools  necessarily  disbanded  for  want  of  funds  in 
1837,  and  the  forcible  suppression  by  the  Deputation  of  pre- 
cisely the  same  kind  of  schools  in  new  missions  in  185-i  ? — 
schools  too,  which,  in  the  latter  instance,  never  cost  the 
Board  a  farthing ! 

1838. — In  this  financial  emergency,  ''  The  schools  at  Bom- 
bay received  important  aid  from  European  Christians,  who 
gave  liberally  to  sustain  them  through  the  season  of  pecu- 
n iary  embarrassment. ' ' 

Opposition  of  the  Hindus  to  the  Schools. 

1839. — This  year  is  memorable  in  the  history  of  the  Bom- 
bay missions  for  the  opposition  of  the  native  community. 
This  opposition  was  excited  by  the  conversion  and  baptism 
of  two  Parsee  students  in  the  English  Institution  of  the 
Scotch  Free  Church  Mission — a  case  forcibly  illustrating  thc- 
value  of  such  schools.  If  there  is  any  other  agency  which 
could  have  so  extensively  and  intensely  excited  the  native 
population  of  Bombay,  and  led  to  so  wide  an  extension  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christianity,  it  certainly  remains  to  be  dis- 
covered. However  much  missionary  societies  may  under- 
value these  schools,  those  among  the  heathen  who  most 
resolutely  oppose   our   efforts,  show  that   they  understand 


72  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

their  character  and  influence.  To  no  department  of  our 
labors  was  more  vigorous  opposition  manifested  on  this 
occasion,  than  to  our  mission  schools  of  every  grade.  In 
narrating  some  of  the  circumstances  of  this  opposition  to 
the  Secretaries  of  the  Board,  our  missionaries  say : 

"  The  people  whose  children  attended  our  schools  were 
told  to  withdraw  them  immediately,  and  that  fearful  conse- 
quences would  follow  if  their  children  should  continue  to 
attend.  A  tract  was  prepared,  printed  and  freely  circulated 
in  Bombay,  entreating  all  classes  of  the  native  population  to 
withdraw  their  children  from  the  mission  schools.  It  was 
not  easy  for  parents  and  teachers  to  withstand  such  influence 
and  obloquy.  The  boys'  and  girls'  schools  both  suffered ; 
the  latter  suffered  most.  Female  education  was  represented 
as  an  innovation  attempted  by  missionaries  upon  the  good 
old  ways,  and  so  was  the  subject  of  special  obloquy." 

A  "Society  for  Protecting  Hinduism"  was  formed,  and 
"  all  the  Hindus  were  called  u^Don  to  subscribe  liberally  to 
the  funds  of  the  Society,  and  to  exert  their  influence  for  the 
support  of  their  own  religion,  now  in  great  danger  from  the 
schools^  and  other  operations  of  the  missionaries."  Some 
leading  natives  got  up  a  petition  to  Government,  in  which, 
among  other  things,  "  they  request  that  a  law  may  be  passed 
which  shall  allow  no  missionary  schools  to  be  established  in 
the  interior,  without  the  express  sanction  of  Government." 

Approval  of  Schools  by  the  Board. 

18-iO. — Some  of  the  papers  read  this  year  by  the  Secretaries 
at  the  annual  meeting,  and  approved  by  the  Board,  express 
sentiments  which  show  the  laigh  estimation  in  which  they 
held  this  department  of  mission  labor,  as  follows : 

"Probably  not  less  than  60,000  or  70,000  persons  have 
had  portions  of  the  Bible  put  in  their  hands,  and  been 
taught  to  read  them  by  the  missionaries  which  this  Board 
has  sent  forth.  How  far  the  missionaries  may  properly  go 
beyond  the  elementary  education  which  is  requisite  for  read- 
ing the  Scriptures,  and  aim  to  introduce  a  Christian  litera- 
ture among  a  heathen  people,  it.. is  not  necessary  now  to 


FACTS  AND  coNVF:T?sroxs.  78 

determine.  But  one  thing  is  evident,  tha't  wherever  the 
(jospel  enters  with  power,  and  the  Scriptures  are  translated 
and  distributed,  and  Christian  schools  are  establislied  to  train 
up  readers,  and  tlie  mind  is  awakened  from  its  listlessness, 
or  called  oft' from  sensual  and  grovelling  to  moi'e  intellectual 
employments,  there  the  foundation  is  laid  for  a  pure  national 
literature.  And  it  must  further  be  admitted  that  the  object 
of  the  missionar}^  will  not  be  fully  accomplished,  and  hea- 
then i)eople  become  what  they  are  certainly  destined  to 
become,  under  the  influence  of  the  Gospel,  until  such  a  lite- 
rature shall  be  brought  into  existence.  Nor  is  the  object 
beneath  the  care  of  a  Christian  missionary.  To  pour  such 
treasures  of  thought,  and  science,  and  refined  sentiments  as 
the  English  language  contains  into  the  language  of  one  of 
the  great  Asiatic  nations,  imbuing  them  at  the  same  time 
with  the  Christian  spirit,  is,  except  preaching  Christ  cruci- 
fied to  the  sinner,  (with  which  this  may  have  no  slight  con- 
nection,) second  to  no  work  in  which  men  can  engage. 

"  If,  by  giving  the  missionary  schools,  you  can  add  the 
powder  of  another  man,  it  is  right  that  he  should  have  this 
increase  of  ability.'' 

These  sentiments  met  the  cordial  approval  of  the  Board, 
and  no  doubt  encouraged  the  missionaries  in  sustaining 
these  schools. 

Facts  and  Conversions  in  the  History  of  the  Schools. 

1841. — Four  pupils  from  the  schools  were  this  year  re- 
ceived into  the  church.  One  of  the  missionaries,  discoursing 
on  the  error  of  idol-worship,  and  urging  the  duty  of  loving, 
serving,  and  worshipping  the  true  God,  a  boy  among  the 
hearers  confirmed  his  remark,  saying  :  "  True,  and  there  is 
only  one  Saviour,  and  that  is  Jesus  Christ."  The  missiona- 
ry says :  "  Surprised  at  this  remark,  from  such  a  source,  I 
looked  closely  at  the  boy,  for  it  was  twilight,  and  recognized 
him  as  one  who  belonged  to  our  school  in  that  neighborhood. 
Here  he  had  learned  the  great  and  important  truth  which 
may  yet  be  blessed  to  his  salvation."  How  many  hundreds 
4 


74  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

and  thousands  of  lieatlien  children  and  youtli  Lave  learned 
this  same  blessed  truth  in  these  mission  schools  ! 

1812. — While  preaching  in  the  villages  on  the  continent 
this  year,  Mr.  Hume  found  many  persons  "  who  had  ac- 
quired a  knowledge  of  the  fundamental  truths  of  the  Gos- 
pel," to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  quite  surprised  till  he 
ascertained  that  "they  had  been  in  some  of  the  mission 
schools.^''  The  only  admission  to  the  church  this  year  was 
one  more  girl  from  the  hoarding-school. 

1843. — Mr.  Hume  writes :  "  Our  boys'  schools  are  now  in 
a  flourishing  state.  All  who  are  able  to  read  assemble  with 
their  teachers  as  a  Sabbath-school,  and  also  attend  the 
preaching  services.  The  girls'  schools  have  not  yet  recov- 
ered from  the  shock  which  the}^  received  at  the  time  of  the 
baptisms  in  January."  The  persons  here  alluded  to  as  having 
been  baptized  were  two  (till  then)  heathen  teachers.  Of  one  of 
them  the  missionary  wrote:  "Nantcheny  is  an  intelligent 
young  woman,  who,  for  several  years,  has  been  connected 
with  the  family  boarding-school,  lirst  as  a  scholar,  then  as  a 
teacher.  She  has  for  a  long  time  been  fully  persuaded  of 
the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  she  has  often  been  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  subject  of  personal  religion." 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  though  several  ])upils  and 
teachers  had  been  received  into  the  church,  none  of  them 
could  yet  be  successfully  employed  as  teachers  of  free 
schools,  siibsequent  to  their  baptism.  Such  was  the  panic 
among  the  people  that  they  feared  to  send  their  children  to 
such  teachers,  and  in  case  of  most  or  all  of  them,  other  im- 
portant service  was  given  to  them  as  native  helpers.  Such" 
had  been  the  case  with  Babajee  and  Dajeeba,  who  were 
received  into  the  church  in  1881,  and  were  soon  transferred 
to  Ahmednuggur  as  helpers.  The  result  of  the  baptisms 
this  year  w^as  much  as  usual.     The  missionaries  say : 

"  Considerable  excitement  has  been  produced  in  our 
vicinity  by  these  baptisms.  The  most  interesting  of  our 
girls'  schools  has  been  broken  up  entirely.  The  teacher 
was  a  female,  who  had  received  much  instruction,  who  had 
felt  something  of  the  power  of  truth,  and  whom  we  hoped 


FACTS  AND  CONVERSIOXB.  75 

soon  to  see  numbered  with  tlie  people  of  God.  Iler  friends 
have  been  so  much  alarmed  in  regard  to  her  as  to  prevent 
her  coming  to  us  any  more.  The  parents  of  the  children  in 
her  school  were,  for  the  most  part,  of  the  same  caste  as 
Nantchen}^,  and  they  have  become  alarmed  lest  their  children 
also  should  be  converted.  Two  of  our  boys'  schools  have 
likewise  suffered  from  the  same  excitement.  The  teacher 
of  one  of  the  schools,  a  promising  young  man,  who  desires 
baptism,  has  been  urged  to  relinquish  his  present  employ- 
ment ;  he  has  received  the  promise  of  a  large  school  with 
increased  pay." 

Thus  did  these  schools  for  heathen  children^  and  taught  by 
heathen  teachers^  continue  to  bring  hopeful  converts  into  the 
Church  of  Christ,  and  to  arouse  the  fears  and  opposition  of 
the  heathen. 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  reports  of  the  mission 
do  not  mention  ex2)licitly  the  immediate  influence  blessed 
to  conversion  in  each  instance.  In  most  cases  there  is  pre- 
sumptive evidence  that  the  converts  were  connected  with 
the  schools,  but  as  the  strictest  accuracy  is  desirable,  no  con- 
vert is  classified  in  connection  with  the  schools  unless  it  is 
so  stated  in  the  reports  or  letters  of  the  missionaries. 

It  should  also  be  noted  that  in  case  of  the  great  majority 
of  the  converts  who  were  not  either  pupils  or  teachers  be- 
fore their  conversion,  the  influence  of  the  schools  is  mani- 
fest in  first  bringing  them  to  the  missionaries,  and  under 
Christian  instruction. 

The  teacher  who  was  this  year  received  into  the  Church 
continued  to  be  employed  as  a  teacher  in  the  boarding- 
school  two  or  three  months,  and  was  the  first  native  Christ- 
ian teacher  emploj-ed  in  the  entire  history  of  the  mission,  so 
far  as  recorded.  She  soon  relinquished  her  useful  position 
as  a  Christian  teacher  to  become  the  wife  of  a  converted 
Brahman,  a  catechist  of  the  church-mission  at  Nassick.  ^fr. 
Hume  writes  of  her :  "  She  is  perhaps  the  best  educated 
female  in  the  Mahratta  country,  and  one  in  whose  piety  we 
have  entire  confidence.  We  were  much  attached  to  her, 
and  we  doubt  not  she  will  be  very  useful  in  her  new  rela- 
tion.'' 


76  jrissiox  SCHOOLS. 

184:4. — Of  the  Christian  teacliing  in  the  schools  the  mis- 
sionaries say : 

"  Most  of  these  children  have  as  much  historical  and  doc- 
trinal knowledge  of  the  Bible  as  children  of  their  age  gene- 
rally in  our  own  country.  How  far  this  knowledge  is  ac- 
companied with  a  conviction  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  it 
is  impossible  to  know,  but  they  can  not  follow  idolatry,  and 
its  superstitious  and  unmeaning  rites,  without  recollecting 
that  these  things  are  forbidden,  and,  we  believe,  without 
often  feehng  a  repugnance  to  them."  "The  teachers  of 
these  schools  are  intelligent  men,  and  have  acquired  much 
historical  and  doctrinal  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures.  They 
have  at  times  shown  that  they  felt  strong  convictions  of  the 
truth  of  Christianity,  and  we  have  hoped  to  see  these  con- 
victions strengthened,  till  they  should  experience  the  re- 
newing influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  profess  their  faith 
in  Christ." 

Of  Mrs.  Hume's  girls'  boarding-school  it  is  said:  "The 
divine  blessing  has  rested  upon  it,  and  seven  of  its  inmates 
have  given  such  evidence  of  having  experienced  the  enlight- 
ening and  renewing  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  they 
have  been  baptized.  Two  others,  w^ho  have  not  been  bap- 
tized, have  died,  leaving  evidence  that  the  instruction  given 
them  had  not  been  in  vain." 

Of  Mrs.  Graves'  girls'  boarding-school  the  fact  is  men- 
tioned in  the  reports  of  this  year,  that  it  had  been  mostly 
supported  by  English  friends  from  the  first. 

1845. — Again  we  find  of  Mrs.  Graves'  school,  "its  entire 
expense  is  defrayed  by  special  donations."  Of  Mrs.  Hume's, 
also :  "  This,  likewise,  is  mainly  supported  by  special  do- 
nations, and  by  work  done  in  the  school.  For  several  3'ears 
past  the  divine  blessing  has  manifestly  attended  the  labor 
bestowed  upon  it." 

1846. — Of  both  these  schools  it  is  again  stated :  "  Their 
expense  continues  to  be  defrayed  mostlj^  by  special  dona- 
tions received  in  India.  The  one  in  Bombay  has  been 
more  interesting  the  past  year  than  usual.  The  scholars 
not  only  made  good  progress  in  their  studies,  but  some  of 


FACTS   AND   CONVERSIONS.  77 

them  liave  manifested  a  pleasing  solicitude  in  regard  to  tlieir 
spiritual  welfare."  One  had  been  welcomed  to  the  church, 
and  others  were  asking  to  be  received. 

1847. — Nearly  all  the  fruit  of  labor  in  the  mission  seems 
to  be  in  connection  with  the  schools.  Hence  we  read : 
"  Only  three  persons  were  admitted  to  the  church  in  1847, 
and  these  were  all  from  the  female  hoarding -school.  They  all 
gave  gratifying  evidence  that  the  labor  bestowed  upon  them 
liad  not  been  in  vain."  "  Several  children  in  the  boarding- 
school  have  exhibited  an  inquiring  state  of  mind,  and  three 
more  of  them  express  the  hope  that  they  have  passed  from 
death  unto  life." 

Up  to  this  date  no  iiative  Chri'siian  appears  to  have  been 
employed  as  a  teacher,  in  the  whole  history  of  the  mission, 
except  Nantchen}^,  as  already  mentioned,  who  was  soon  mar- 
ried, and  removed  to  Nassick.  This  fact  is  worthv  of  notice, 
in  connection  with  the  manifest  blessing  which  rested  upon 
these  schools,  with  heathen  teachers,  and  in  connection  with 
the  following  paragraph  in  the  report  of  the  Committee  on 
the  Mahratta  missions  this  year,  namely  : 

"It  is  delightful  to  observe  the  tokens  of  divine  favor 
granted  to  this  oldest  of  the  missions  under  the  care  of  this 
Board.  The  establishment  of  the  Bombay  mission,  asso- 
ciated as  it  is  with  the  labors  and  faith  of  the  late  Gordon 
Hall,  one  of  the  brightest  lights  in  the  firmament  of  missions, 
illustrate  the  special  providence  of  God  in  a  peculiar  manner." 

1848. — Three  more  pupils  from  Mrs.  Hume's  school  were 
this  year  admitted  to  the  church,  and  of  others  it  is  stated  : 
"  We  can  not  but  hope  that  a  saving  change  has  been  ex- 
perienced. One  of  the  older  girls,  who  for  more  than  a 
year  has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  church,  has  been 
removed  by  death,  leaving  the  gratifying  assurance  that  she 
has  been  called  to  a  better  home." 

In  Mrs.  Graves'  school,  also,  "  some  have  been  under  deep 
conviction,  and  some  have  asked  for  baptism." 

1849. —  "Keligious  interest"  continues  in  the  schools. 
"Three  more  girls  have  been  admitted  to  the  Church." 
The  choice  clusters  of  fruit  come  only  from  the  scliools. 


78  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

1850. — *'  Two  persons  were  received  into  the  Churcli"— 
one  of  them  a  joung  man  who  had  been  educated  in  the 
mission  school  at  Ahmednuggur,  and  the  other  a  jDupil  in 
the  girls'  school. 

Of  the  teachers  this  year,  Mr.  Ilnme  writes:  "Two  native 
Chrisiians^  a  male  and  a  female,  assist  in  giving  instruction 
to  the  scholars." 

Here  is  the  first  notice  we  find  on  record  of  native  Christian 
teachers  in  the  Bombay  mission,  except  Nantcheny  a  month 
or  two,  as  before  mentioned.  Let  those  who  doubt  the  wis- 
dom of  employing  heathen  teachers  review  the  history  of 
this  mission,  without  a  native  Christian  teacher  for  36  years , 
and  yet  almost  all  its  converts,  during  these  years,  coming 
from  the  heathen  teachers  and  pupils  of  these  schools. 

Influence  of  the  Mission  Schools  in  changing  Public  Sentiment. 

The  incidents  of  1850  make  it  an  era  in  the  progress  of 
Christian  evangelization  in  India.  In  April  was  passed  the 
memorable  act  of  Government  securing  civil  rights  and 
liberty  to  native  converts.  The  very  general  progress  of 
enlightened  sentiments,  and  the  increase  of  true  knowledge 
among  the  native  population,  became  more  than  ever  mani- 
fest. Particularly  was  this  evident  on  the  subject  of  female 
education.  , 

From  the  statements  of  the  missionaries,  take  the  follow- 
ing:  "  One  of  the  most  encouraging  indications  of  the  times^ 
in  India  is  the  change  which  is  gradually  taking  place  in 
the  feelings  of  the  people,  in  regard  to  female  education. 
Hitherto,  nothing  or  next  to  nothing  has  been  done  to  ele- 
vate the  Hindu  female,  except  what  has  been  accomplished 
by   the   missionaries.' .  They,'  wherever   located,    have  ad-- 
dressed  themselves  more  or. less  to  this  work.     And  consid-'. 
ering  the  apathy,  incredulitj^,  and  even  active  opposition  so 
generally  manifested  by  the  native  community,  these  efforts 
have  been ;  attended  wdth  a  large  measure  of  success.  .•  A 
gradual  change  has  been  wrought  in  the  feelings  of  the  com-, 
munity,  so  that  the  more  wealthy  natives  have  of  late  begun, 
to  educate  their  daughters  in  private.  '  And  the  wav  has 


SCHOOLS   CHANG K    PUBLIC  SKNTIMENT.  79 

"been  prepared  for  the  establishment  of  female  schools,  by 
the  natives  themselves,  and  by  the  Government." 

The  influence  of  the  mission  schools  in  inducing  this  en- 
lightened state  of  feeling  and  sentiment  could  scarcely  have 
been  more  manifest  than  it  is.  The  influence  of  the  female 
schools  in  modifying  Hindu  prejudices  and  preparing  for  a 
general  change  of  views  on  the  subject,  is  manifest  from  their 
first  origin,  in  1824.  There  had  now  arisen  a  class  of  edu- 
cated natives,  not  to  be  restrained  and  fettered  by  the  foolish 
and  puerile  superstitions  of  their  fathers.  The  students  of 
the  Elphinstone  College  resolved  to  engage  in  these  praise- 
worthy efforts  to  diffuse  the  benefits  of  education,  and  very 
soon  established  eight  girls'  schools  in  Bombay.  Similar 
schools  were  estabhshed  in  Calcutta  and  elsewhere,  and  now, 
also,  the  Government  began  to  give  direct  countenance  and 
patronage  to  female  schools.  Intelligent  Hindus  became 
conscious  that  a  great  intellectual  and  moral  change  was 
being  eficcted  in  the  native  community.  One  of  our  mis- 
sionaries at  Bombay  wrote  as  follows  : 

'•  Educated  natives  tell  me  that  there  has  been,  during  the 
last  few  years,  a  great  change  in  the  religious  views  of  this 
community,  and  especiallj^  in  the  younger  and  educated  por- 
tion of  it.  One  who  has  good  opportunities  for  observation, 
and  who  is  himself  speculatively  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
Christianity,  said  to  me  the  other  day:  '  Our  community  has 
gone  half-way  to  your  opinions  ;  do  not  despair  of  the  other 
half.  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  they  will  full}^  embrace 
your  faith  befoi'c  many  years.'  " 

Striking  testimony  to  the  progress  of  enlightened  views 
and  the  influence  of  the  schools  in  effecting  it,  is  given  this 
year  in  the  Pruhhahir,  a  native  newspaper  published  in 
Bombay.  The  editor  says :  "I  can  not  refrain  from  ac- 
knowledging, and  with  lively  gratitude,  that  the  missionaries 
who  have  come  to  our  country,  have  exerted  themselves 
with  praiseworthy  diligence  to  destroy  sinful  customs  and 
practices.  They  have  done  us  great  favors.  See!  They 
have  come  thousands  of  miles  from  their  native  land,  and 
liave  taught  our  people  many  ai't?,  and  the  whole  round  of 


80  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

useful  sciences.  They  are  the  men  who  first  established  schools^ 
and  convinced  the  Qouerninent  that  this  people  is  not  averse  to 
heing  taught,  but  is  rather  anxious  for  the  knowledge  possess- 
ed bj  enlightened  countries.  Afterwards  the  Government 
followed  their  example,  and  began  to  establish  schools.  We 
must  be  grateful  for  what  the  missionaries  have  done  for  us, 
in  establishing  schools  in  so  many  places  for  instructing  hun- 
dreds of  boys  and  girls,  even  giving  something  for  the  sup- 
port of  such  poor  children  as  have  no  means,  and  thus  in- 
structing them." 

In  view  of  such  honest  testimony  from  an  enlightened 
heathen  editor,  no  wonder  the  missionaries  also  testify : 

"  The  native  mind  is  becoming  more  and  more  excited 
and  distracted.  Many  of  the  Hindus  are  dissatisfied  with 
their  religious  and  social  state,  with  the  galling  bondage  of 
"caste,  and  the  degraded  condition  and  character  of  their 
females." 

1851. — Of  Mrs.  Hume's  girls'  school,  the  testimony  this 
year  is  :  "  On  no  part  of  our  missionary  operations  has  the 
blessing  of  God  so  manifestly  rested,  as  on  this  school.  The 
behavior  and  progress  of  the  pupils  has  been  very  satisfac- 
tory. One  of  them,  an  interesting  girl,  was  received  into 
the  Church  near  the  close  of  1851." 

The  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  this  year  says  of  these 
missions :  "  The  laborers  at  the  several  stations  are  pursuing 
their  work  with  energy  and  good  results.  The  station  at 
Bombay  is  evidently  one  of  peculiar  importance." 

1852. — "The  girls'  boarding-school  continues  to  enjoy 
the  divine  favor."  The  death  of  one  of  the  girls  is  thus 
mentioned : 

"  She  was,  as  we  fully  believe,  a  true  child  of  God.  She 
had  an  amiable  disjDOsition,  a  serious,  well-balanced  mind,  and 
had  received  an  excellent  education  both  in  English  and 
Mahratta.  AYe  had  hoped  that  she  would  be  very  useful,  as 
an  example  and  a  guide  to  other  native  females,  and  that 
she  might  long  be  an  ornament  to  the  Church  of  Christ  in 
India.  But  the  Lord,  who  doeth  all  things  well,  hath  or- 
dered otherwise,  and    hath   early  removed    her  from  the 


INFLUEXCK   OF   THE   MISSION'    SCHOOLS.  81 

Church  on  earth  to  the  company  of  the  redeemed  in  heaven. 
We  were  greatly  attached  to  this  dear  girl ;  but  it  is  not  for 
us  to  murmur  at  this  dispensation.  Bather  would  we  praise 
God  that  his  grace  was  so  clearly  manifested  in  and  towards 
her,  and  that  at  the  last  there  was  hope  in  her  death.  Her 
memory  is  precious ;  and  wc  feel  that  she  has  not  lived  in 
vain." 

This  girl  had  been  supported  by  a  pious  lady  in  Scot- 
land. Can  benevolent  Christians  feel  that  such  examples 
of  youthful  piety  and  hopeful  deaths  on  heathen  ground, 
are  purchased  at  too  dear  a  price  in  the  support  of  schools? 
And  when  we  see  the  divine  blessing  so  manifestly  resting 
on  these  schools,  can  we  doubt  that  the  Lord  approves 
them  ?  In  the  special  report  of  the  Board  on  the  Mahratta 
missions  this  year,  we  read : 

"  These  missions,  being  in  the  first  field  ever  occupied  by 
the  Board,  awaken  many  interesting  reflections.  No  mis- 
sion undertaken  by  this  organization  has  been  attended  by 
so  many  embarrassments  as  the  one  at  Bombay.  But  God 
was  j^leased  to  provide  for  the  exigenc}^  men  of  faith  and 
prayer.  The  names  of  Gordon  Hall  and  Samuel  Newell 
will  stand  as  memorials  of  missionary  steadfastness  and  en- 
ergy for  generations  to  come.  The  Mahratta  missions  are 
exerting  an  extended  influence,  far  beyond  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  several  stations.  Much  interest  has  been  ex- 
cited through  the  schools  and  the  press.  The  spirit  of  inquiry 
and  discussion  which  has  been  awakened  in  the  Mahratta 
mind  in  regard  to  caste,  and  the  concessions  of  the  Brah- 
mans,  that  Christianit}^  is  gradually  undermining  the  re- 
ligion of  the  Shasters,  furnish  evidence  of  the  progress  of 
the  Gospel,  and  give  promise  of  still  greater  success.  Your 
committee  think  there  has  never  been  a  time  when  the  as- 
pect of  these  missions  has  been  so  favorable  as  the  present ; 
and  they  commend  this  first  field  of  the  Board  to  its  con- 
tinued and  increased  support." 

4^ 


82  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


Statistics  of  Mission  Schools  in  India,  in  1851. 

This  year  T^-ere  collected  and  published  general  statistics 
of  all  the  Protestant  missions  in  India ;  and  the  number  of 
their  schools  and  pupils  is  doubtless  a  good  indication  of 
their  estimate  of  this  department  of  labor.  These  statistics 
give  1347  vernacular  schools  for  boys,  with  47;504  pupils. 

347  day-schools  for  girls,  with  11,519  pupils. 

126  Englisb  schools,  with  14,560  hojs  and  young  men. 

93  boarding-schools,  with  2414  boys,  and 

102  boarding  schools,  w^ith  2779  girls. 

Here  we  have  64,480  boys  and  young  men,  and  14,298 
females,  under  a  regular  S3"stematic  course  of  Christian  in- 
struction. What  a  fact  to  cheer  the  heart  of  every  lover  of 
Zion  who  is  hoping  and  praj^ing  for  the  evangelization  of 
India !  And  how  forcibly  does  it  witness  to  the  judgment 
and  experience  of  the  whole  band  of  Protestant  missionaries 
in  India,  in  favor  of  this  agency  for  evangelizing  the  Hindus ! 

1853. — The  Missionary  Herald  in  its  annual  survey  of  this 
year,  says  of  Mrs.  Hume's  girls'  school :  "  The  blessing  of 
God  lias  been  manifestly  upon  it,  and  a  goodly  number  of 
its  inmates  have  from  time  to  time  been  brought,  as  we 
trust,  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth." 

Of  the  labors  and  results  of  this  year  in  the  Bombay  mis- 
sion, the  Board  says  :  "  The  examples  of  the  wise  and  good 
men  and  excellent  women  connected  ^\'ith  this  mission,  the 
success  of  their  labors,  through  the  divine  presence  and 
blessing,  and  the  evident  preparation  made  for  the  rapid 
spread  of  the  Gospel  in  a  near  approaching  period,  all  give 
an  interest  and  importance  to  this  earliest  mission  of  the 
American  Board." 

Disastrous  Change. 

1854-5. — But  this  bright  and  blessed  prospect  was  sud- 
denly overcast.  Notwithstanding  the  evident  and  precious 
blessing  that  had  rested  on  the  schools  through  all  their 
history,  the  frequent  conversion  of  pupils  and  teachers,  and 


DISASTROUS  CHANGE.  83 

the  briglit  prospect  of  "  the  rapid  spread  of  the  Gospel  in  a 
near  approaching  period,"  a  sudden  change  was  enforced 
which  has  rendered  the  mission  comparatively  desokite  and 
barren  ever  since. 

The  statistics  of  this  mission  for  1854-5  are  few,  and 
very  little  is  said  of  it  in  the  periodicals  of  the  Board.  In 
the  Annual  Eeport  of  1855  it  is  stated  that:  "Owing  in 
part,  doubtless,  to  the  broken  state  of  the  mission,  and  in 
part,  it  may  be,  to  the  visit  of  the  Deputation  to  India,  no 
repoi't  has  been  received  from  Bombay,  and  no  communica- 
tions which  enable  the  committee  to  go  into  details." 

Tbe  mission  had  been  weakened  by  the  return  .of  the 
Eev.  Dr.  Allen  to  America,  and  the  death  of  Eev.  R.  W. 
Hume,  on  his  voyage  to  this  country,  and  also  by  the  action 
of  the  Deputation  in  disbanding  all  the  schools  taught  hy  heathen 
teachers^  the  girW  boarding-school  and  the  English  high-school. 
This  swept  overboard  nearly  every  thing  of  interest  in  the 
mission.  With  all  these  schools  broken  up,  and  but  one 
missionary  there,  we  are  not  surprised  to  read  in  the  special 
report,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board,  in  1855,  as  fol- 
lows, namely : 

''  The  condition  of  the  Bombay  mission  is  less  encoura- 
ging than  we  should  all  desire,"  etc. 

This  sudden  change  in  the  special  report,  from  the  bright 
and  cheering  prospect  presented  on  the  last  page,  is  worthy 
of  a  permanent  record  and  of  prayerful  reflection  by  all  who 
love  the  cause  of  missions. 

As  no  allusion  has  been  before  made  to  the  English  High- 
school  at  Bombay^  some  acount  of  it  is  here  necessary  to  a 
full  history  of  the  educational  operations  of  the  missions. 
Scarcely  any  thing  appears  in  regard  to  it  in  the  regular  pe- 
riodicals of  the  Board,  although  the  letters  of  the  mission- 
aries were  many,  and  long,  and  earnest.  Its  history  will  be 
best  brought  to  view  in  connection  with  the  doings  of  the 
Deputation^  in  the  next  chapter. 


CH APTEE     I  Y. 

HISTORY   OF   OUR   BOMBAY   MISSION   SCHOOLS  CONTINUED. 
Bombay  High  School  and  the  Late  Deputation. 

It  is  fresh  in  the  memory  of  pastors  and  clnirches,  that 
a  Deputation  of  the  A.B.C.F.M.,  consisting  of  Eev.  E.  An- 
derson, D.D.,  Senior  Secretary,  and  Eev.  A.  C.  Thompson, 
visited  our  India  missions,  in  1854-6.  The  doings  of  that 
Deputation  caused  much  agitation,  both  in  this  country  and 
in  India;  and  a  feeling  of  dissatisfaction  still  exists  very 
widely  in  the  hearts  of  our  pastors  and  intelligent  laymen. 
And  yet  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  real  occasion  of  the 
Deputation,  and  the  extent  and  character  of  the  changes 
effected  by  them,  have  been  properly  understood  by  the 
Christian  public. 

Since  returning  from  India  I  have  often  been  asked, 
"What  was  the  necessity  of  a  Deputation?  Why  were 
not  our  intelligent  missionaries  there  on  the  ground  as  Avell 
fitted  to  judge  of  the  best  agencies  for  carrying  on  this 
work,  as  any  of  our  brethren  here  at  home?  What  less 
confidence  could  we  have  had  in  the  members  of  the  Depu- 
tation if  they  themselves  had  been  laboring  a  dozen  or 
twenty  years  in  India,  and  thus  come  in  possession  of  expe- 
rience as  well  as  theories  in  this  great  work?"  These  are 
questions  which  the  reader  can  answer  as  well  as  a  mission- 
ary. But  there  are  facts^  in  regard  to  which  eye-witnesses 
may  speak  with  more  confidence  than  others. 


r.\T*SK    or    IHK    DKi'l'T.VriOX.  85 


Cause  of  the  Deputation. 


The  immcdiato  cause  of  the  Deputation  was  the  Ili/jli- 
scliool  at  Bomba}',  and  the  earnest  appeals  of  the  brethren 
in  its  behalf.  This  is  brought  to  view  with  sufficient  clear- 
ness in  the  Keport  of  the  Deputation,  published  in  1850. 
In  that  report  it  is  stated  as  follows,  namely  :  "In  the  early 
part  of  the  year  1854,  letters  were  received  from  the  Bom- 
ba}^  Mission,  earnestly  recpiesting  permission  to  institute  a 
high-school  on  the  model  of  certain  Scotch  and  English 
schools  existing  in  the  large  cities  of  India.  The  proposal 
was  seconded  by  the  Ahmednuggur  ^fission.  .  .  .  The 
school  was  urged  upon  the  Committee  as  a  matter  of  neces- 
sity, to  save  the  Bombay  mission  from  extinction,"  etc. 

The  true  issue  is  here  stated.  It  may  not  have  been  full}^ 
appreciated  by  the  Christian  public,  but  it  is  unmistakable. 
71ie  missionaries  ivere  united  and  earnest  in  askinf/  ivhat  the 
Secretary  teas  umcilling  they  should  have. 

The  reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  an  English  school  had 
been  established  in  our  Bombay  mission,  so  long  ago  as 
183I-,  and  that  it  was  disbanded  in  183(^,  "  at  the  suggestion 
of  the  Committee,"  in  Boston.  But  the  mission  had  con- 
tinued to  feel  the  need  of  such  an  institution.  For  the  want 
of  it  they  had  seen  their  most  promising  converts  attracted 
to  other  missions,  and  after  forty  yea/rs'  labor,  they  found 
their  native  church  still  small  and  weak,  with  no  well-edu- 
cated and  efficient  catechists  and  preachers.  They  found, 
too,  that  the  desire  for  education,  and  especially  for  English 
education,  was  dailv  becomins:  more  earnest,  irresistible  and 
universal  among  Hindu  youth ;  and  when  the  English  Sem- 
inary of  our  Ahmednuggur  mission  was  disbanded,  in  1851, 
by  positive  instructions  from  Boston,  they  found  that  sev- 
eral of  our  most  promising  converts  and  inquirers  left  us 
and  came  to  Bombay,  to  secure  the  advantages  offered  in 
the  mission  institutions  of  our  Scotch  and  English  brethren 
at  the  presidency. 

The  American  missionaries  in  Bombay  felt  exceedingly 
grieved  and  tried  at  this  state  of  things,  and  so  strong  be- 


86  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

came  tlieir  convictions  that  an  Englisli  institution  was  neces- 
sary to  tlie  best  interests  and  success  of  the  mission,  that 
they  sent  representations  to  the  Secretary  and  Committee  in 
Boston,  urging  the  measure  in  the  strongest  possible  lan- 
guage, and  using  the  most  convincing  arguments.  Of  these 
arguments,  the  following  extracts  will  enable  the  reader  to 
judge  for  himself: 

Rev.  R.  "W.  Hume's  Plea  for  Schools. 

"Bo-MBAY,  25  May,  1853. 
"Rev.  RuFus  AisTDERSOiSr,  D.D., 

"  Secretary  to  tlie  A.B.C.F.M. : 
"  Dear  Sir :  .  .  After  a  caieful  and  earnest  considera- 
tion of  the  character  of  the  field,  and  our  present  position,  I 
have  come  to  a  settled  conviction  that  we  are  now,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  clearly  called  to  add  an  educational  insti- 
tution to  the  operations  of  the  mission.  None  of  us  have  been 
'Educationists,'  in  the  popular  acceptation  of  that  term. 
We  have  resisted  the  idea  that  missionaries  must  become 
schoolmasters.  We  each  and  all  came  to  India  to  be  preach- 
ing missionaries ;  and  w^e  have  sought  to  be  a  preaching  mis- 
sion. We  have  no  wish  to  relinquish  the  work  of  preaching, 
nor  any  intention  of  doing  so.  But  we  are  satisfied  that  the 
mission  can  not  properly  accomplish  its  work,  and  reap  the 
fruit  of  its  labors,  without  a  superior  educational  institution. 
The  present  character  of  tlie  field,  and  our  peculiar  circum- 
stances with  reference  to  the  other  missions,  require  it.  The 
providence  of  God  is  shutting  us  up  to  this  course,  and  the 
Board  and  the  mission  must  submit  to  the  necessity  that  is  laid 
upon  them.  Among  the  better  classes  in  Bombay,  and  to  a 
less  extent  in  the  larger  towns  and  villages,  there  is  now  a 
great  desire  for  education.  The  most  hopeful  and  important 
class  is  the  young  men ;  and  among  these  there  is  not  merely 
a  desire  for  education,  but  a  passion,  so  to  speak,  for  English 
education.  .  .  The  easiest,  nay  almost  the  only  way,  to 
bring  this  important  class,  for  any  length  of  time,  under  the 
influence  of  the  mission,  is  by  means  of  a  superior  institution, 
in  which  English  shall  be  taught.  This  is  the  plan  adopted  by 
the  other  missions  in  Bombay,  and  at  nearly  or  quite  all  the 
mission  stations  in  this  country.  Without  such  an  institution 
your  missionaries  must  be  more  and  more  cut  oft*  from  this 


REV.  R.  W.  HU-ME's   plea    FOR    SCHOOLS.  87 

most  interesting  and  hopeful  class,  who  will  naturally  be  drawn 
towards  those  missions  which  fall  in  with  their  feeliuixs  and  as- 
}>irations. 

"  Agnin,  the  converts  naturally,  and  very  pro])erly  too,  share 
in  the  prevalent  desire  for  education.  Those  who  are  parents 
will  insist  on  tlie  education  of  their  children.  And  do  what 
Ave  will,  the  young  men  of  spirit  will  not  be  kept  back  from  an 
education.  AVe  have  no  institution  for  imparting  such  an  ed- 
ucation as  they  desire.  The  other  missions  are  ready  to  re- 
ceive them,  and  do  for  them  what  we  can  not.  And  the  sure 
result  must  be  that  the  best  families,  and  the  most  efficient,  in- 
teresting young  men,  will  be  drawn  away  from  us;  and  thus 
our  labors,  in  a  good  measure,  must  go  to  build  up  other  mis- 
sion churches.  And  will  the  American  Board  and  the  Amer- 
ican churches  consent  to  perpetuate  such  a  state  of  things  ? 
Are  they  willing  that  their  missionaries  should  thus  be  made 
hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  to  the  other  missions  ? 

"  We  may  preach  the  Gospel  in  season  and  out  of  season ; 
we  may  prepare,  and  print,  and  circulate  tracts  and  books ;  we 
may  be  exceedingly  useful  in  many  ways ;  but  it  is  as  certain 
as  the  law  of  gravitation  that,  are  we  not  allowed  to  occupy 
a  different  position,  the  best  fruits  of  our  labors  will  be  gath- 
ered up  by  others — a  state  of  things  which  we  feel  assured  the 
churches  which  sustain  the  American  Board  will  not  knowingly 
and  willfully  tolerate  for  an  hour. 

"  The  evil  of  Avhich  I  am  now  speaking  principally  concerns 
us  in  Bombay.  But  your  missions  in  the  Deccan  must  also  be 
affected  by  it,  and  that  in  an  increasing  degree  from  year  to 
year.  Already  they  are  having  some  bitter  experience  of  what 
is  abundantly  in  store  for  them  in  years  to  come,  unless  a  suit- 
able remedy  is  provided.  Xot  long  since  you  announced  to 
the  American  churches  the  baptism  of  Yyenkutrao,  a  Brahman 
convert  at  Ahmcdnuijo-nr,  He  is  now  a  student  of  theolosjy 
in  the  Free  Church  Institution  here.  More  recently  you  an- 
nounced the  baptism  of  Krishna,  an  interesting  5'oung  Brah- 
man at  Satara.  He,  too,  has  just  been  transferred  to  the  Fi-ee 
Church  Institution  and  the  Free  Church  Mission,  in  the  ex- 
pectation of  being  there  trained  for  the  Gospel  ministiy.  When 
the  Seminary  at  Ahmednuggur  w\as  finally  relinquished,  an  in- 
teresting young  man,  Ramchunder,  having  studied  there  for 
some  time,  had  become  convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity, 


88  :\iissio;n*  schools. 

and  was  thought  to  be  a  hopeful  inquirer.  He  Avished  to  re- 
main and  pursue  his  studies  in  connection  with  the  American 
mission,  but  as  that  could  not  be,  [the  Seminary  being  aban- 
doned] he  soon  found  his  way  to  the  Free  Church  Institution, 
wliere  a  fcAv  weeks  since  he  was  baptized.  Ramaji,  a  prom- 
isino-  convert  of  the  Ahmednuggur  mission,  and  Tukeram,  a 
son  of  one  of  the  native  assistants  of  that  mission,  are  at  pre- 
sent studying  here  in  the  Free  Church  Institution.  And  in 
jnost  such  cases  the  sure  result  must  be  that  the  young  men 
arc  lost  to  us.  Their  sympathies  and  their  home  are  naturally 
with  the  mission  in  which  they  are  trained ;  and  instead  of 
strengthening  us,  they  are  likely  to  draw  away  others  after 
them.  Nothing  could  be  more  natural  than  such  a  result. 
The  best  scholars  of  our  schools,  the  children  of  the  converts 
— sometimes  those  on  whom  much  labor  has  been  bestowed — 
come  to  us  askhig  that  we  should  secure  their  admission  into 
one  jof  the  other  mission  institutions.  Inquirers,  too,  after 
coming  for  a  time  to  us,  often  find  attractions  at  those  Institu- 
tions Avhicli  we  can  not  offer;  and  after  getting  enrolled  in 
them  as  students,  naturally  receive  religious  instruction  there. 
This  state  of  thino-s  has  lono^  cost  us  much  auxietv,  and  the 
evil  is  increasing  from  year  to  year.  I  now  wonder  that  we 
liave  borne  it  so  long ;  but  there  is  a  limit  to  endurance,  and 
that  limit  has  at  length  been  reached. 

"The  proposal  to  estabhsh  a  superior  institution  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Bombay  mission,  may  not  be  in  accordance  with 
the  cherished  plans  and  hopes,  either  of  the  missionaries  or  of 
the  Board.  But  a  necessity  is  laid  upon  us  which  we  can  no 
longer  escape  from.  We  may  regret  that  there  is  such  a  pas- 
sion for  English  education  on  the  part  of  the  rising  generation ; 
we  may  regret  that  your  missionaries  can  not  retain  their  con- 
verts, and  build  up  the  native  Church,  without  yielding  to  the 
current  that  has  set  in  so  strongly  ;  but  Providence  has  settled 
this  matter  for  us,  and  regrets  are  vain — nay,  if  persisted  in, 
they  are  wicked. 

"  God  has  a  high  purpose  to  fulfill  in  regard  to  India.  And 
in  this  passion  for  English  education,  and  in  all  the  peculiar 
circumstances  of  this  people,  we  must  discern  his  workings. 
His  hand  is  in  jt.  The  way  in  which  he  has  chosen  to  accom- 
plish his  purposes,  may  be  different  from  what  we  expected, 
and  clifl\'rent  from  wlmt  we  desired      But  we  must  fall  in  with 


REV.  H.  w.  Hume's  plea  for  schools.  89 

his  plans,  when  once  indicated,  or  we  must  suffer  the  penalty. 
We  may  kick  against  the  pricks,  if  we  Avill ;  we  may  row 
against  wind  and  tide  till  we  are  weary ;  but  our  blind  obsti- 
nacy will  avail  ns  nothing.  God  has,  in  a  most  remarkable 
manner,  given  India  into  the  hands  of  England ;  and  the  Eng- 
lish language  and  literature  have  here  a  high  destiny  to  fulfill. 
Let  us  be  wise  enough  to  take  things  as  they  are,  instead  of 
wasting  our  time  and  our  strength  in  wishing  they  were 
otherwise. 

"  I  have  long  resisted  some  of  the  convictions  to  which  ut- 
terance has  just  been  given.  But  I  now  submit  to  what  I 
regard  a  Heaven-ordained  necessity.  And  I  am  satisfied,  too, 
that  God's  plan  is  the  best.  Your  missionaries  have  not  been 
disposed  to  come  up  to  the  necessities  of  the  occasion  in  tlie 
matter  of  an  educated  native  ministry.  They  have  been  too 
ready  to  work  through  partially  educated  and  imperfectly  quali- 
fied agents.  No  where  is  this  a  greater  error  than  in  India; 
and  God  is  shutting  us  up  to  better  things.  The  Government 
institutions  are  yearly  sending  out  men  thoroughly  trained,  a 
large  part  of  v>^hom  are  Deists  and  Infidels.  Their  influence 
must  be  immense.  Such  educated  young  men  must  be  the 
leading  spirits  of  the  nation.  They  will  guide  and  mould  pub- 
lic opinion.  They  must  give  character  and  form  to  the  views 
and  feelings  of  the  multitude.  Under  such  circumstances  we 
want,  and  we  7nust  have^  native  preachers  of  the  Gospel  tho- 
roughly trained  ;  men  who  can  stand  up  unabashed  before  edu- 
cated revilers,  and  manfully  contend  for  the  faith  as  it  is  in 
Jesus.  For  us  to  aim  at  any  thing  less  than  this  would  be  un- 
worthy of  the  cause  to  which  we  ai'e  devoted.  And  we  may 
be  assured  that  if  we  neglect  this  high  duty,  God  will  raise  up 
men  of  greater  faith,  of  more  expanded  views,  and  of  a  higher, 
holier  ambition,  to  do  a  work  which  sve  refuse  to  perform.  .  . 
The  expense  of  the  Institution,  aside  from  the  salaries  of  those 
connected  with  it,  need  not  be  very  great.  A  special  effort 
will  sooner  or  later  be  required  to  provide  a  suitable  building, 
etc.  But  the  necessary  sum  can  be  raised,  we  feel  assured, 
without  interfering  with  the  ordinary  income  of  the  Board. 
Many  would  give  liberally  for  this  object,  who  ordinarily  give 
little  to  foreign  missions.  We  have  faith  in  the  churches  with 
reference  to  this  matter.  They  are  neither  less  able  nor  less 
spirited  than  the  churches  of  other  lands,  who  supply  the  funds 


90  MISSION   SCHOOLS.  r 

for  similar  institutions  to  he  devoted  to  the  service  of  Christ  in 
various  parts  of  India.  If  you  have  any  misgivings  in  regard 
to  this  point,  give  us  a  commission  to  raise  the  money,  and 
leave  us  free  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements,  and  to  pre- 
sent the  requisite  appeals.  We  have  no  fear  but  that  the  claim 
for  funds,  if  properly  set  forth  and  understood,  will  be  recog- 
nized and  regarded. 

"It  should,  I  think,  be  understood  that  the  proposal  now 
made  to  the  Prudential  Committee,  is  one  which  involves,  not 
merely  the  pi'osperity  of  the  mission,  but  eventually  its  very 
existence.  It  is  a  question  of  life  and  death.  We  have  no 
proper  provision  for  bringing  under  our  influence,  for  any  length 
of  time,  the  most  important  and  hopeful  class  in  the  commu- 
nity— the  young  men.  We  have  no  provision  for  educating 
the  children  of  the  converts,  nor  for  training  native  preachers 
and  other  assistants.  They  must  look  to  other  missions  for 
what  we  are  not  in  a  position  to  give,  and  must,  of  course,  be 
drawn  away  from  us.  In  such  circumstances,  the  mission  may 
endure  for  a  season,  and  may  do  very  much  to  advance  the 
cause  of  Christ ;  but  it  can  not  reap  the  fruits  of  its  labors ; 
and  consequently  it  must  in  the  end  be  given  up  in  discourage- 
ment and  despair.  The  great  battle  with  superstition  and  error 
will  continue  to  be  waged  until  it  is  brought  to  a  successful 
termination.  But  if  you  remain  in  the  field,  and  continue  to 
occupy  your  present  position,  you  and  your  missionaries,  in- 
stead of  leading  the  van,  must  be  content  to  act  the  useful  but 
ignoble  part  of  baggage-bearers  to  the  rest  of  the  army.    ...    ^ 

"But  if  the  Bombay  mission  can  not  be  properly  sustained 
without  so  much  labor  and  expense,  then  is  it  not  better  to  re- 
tire and  leave  the  field  to  other  sections  of  the  Church  ?  To 
such  a  proposal  our  heart  and  our  judgment  alike  answer  no  ! 
Let  Bomba}',  the  first-born  of  your  missions,  be  abandoned, 
and  it  will  strike  a  cold  chill  through  the  American  churches. 
The  announcement  would  tend  to  dampen  the  hopes  and  the 
feelings  of  the  friends  of  missions  in  every  land.  The  heathen, 
from  one  end  of  India  to  the  other,  would  rejoice  and  take 
courage.  The  enemies  of  the  Gospel  on  all  sides  would  say, 
Aha!  aha  !  The  friends  of  the  American  Board  as  they,  gene- 
ration after  generation,  read  the  history  of  its  origin  and  first 
struggles — the  hopes,  aspirations,  and  eiforts  of  those  vene- 
rated men,  who,  amidst  prayers,  tears,  and  rejoicing,  planted 


EEV.  II.  \V.  IIL\Mi:'S   PLEA   FOR   SCHOOLS.  91 

tliis  mission;  would  not  their  feelings  be  shocked?  Would 
not  their  hearts  heave  a  heavy  sigh  it'  required  to  read  a  few 
pages  further  on,  that  after  forty  years  of  prayer  and  effort,  the 
Bombay  mission  was  abandoned,  and  the  fruit  of  its  labors  left 
for  others  to  gather  ?  And  would  they  not  make  inquisition 
regarding  the  reasons  for  such  a  procedure  ?  To  abandon  such 
a  lield  as  this — one  of  the  most  important,  interesting,  and 
hopeful  in  all  the  heathen  world — would  it  not  be  treason 
asfainst  Christ  y  Besides,  It  would  be  a  suicidal  measure.  It 
would,  to  a  certain  extent,  destroy  the  prestige  of  the  Board — 
a  thing  of  which  some  may  think  lightly,  but  which  is  in  f  ict, 
a  serious  matter ;  it  Avould  weaken  your  hold  upon  the  confi- 
dence of  the  churches,  so  that,  in  the  end,  you  Avould  lose  far 
more,  even  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  than  would  have  been 
required  to  carry  on  the  mission  on  the  largest  scale  of  expen- 
diture. Let  the  Board  abandon  the  Bombay  mission,  and  it 
voluntarily  assumes  the  position  of  a  bereaved  mother  laying 
her  first-born  in  the  dust.  And  the  vivid  impression  made  on 
many  minds  must  be,  that  the  remaining  children  may  in  like 
manner,  one  after  the  other,  soon  pass  away. 

"  And  what  would  be  gained  by  abandoning  Bombay  ?  You 
Avould,  indeed,  for  the  present,  escape  the  necessity  of  estab- 
lishing a  superior  educational  institution.  But  will  not  a  like 
necessity  soon  arise  in  any  other  field  which  you  may  occupy? 
— one  which  others  will  recognize,  if  you  do  not  ?  And  then  you 
miffht  a2:ain  withdraw,  leavinj^:  to  others  the  field  so  longr  culti- 
vated.  But  I  do  not  believe  the  American, Board  and  the 
American  churches  are  prepared  thus  to  play  '  the  squatter' 
in  the  wide  wastes  of  heathenism. 

"  The  American  churches  were  the  first  to  plant  the  standard 
of  the  cross  in  Bombay.  For  forty  years  they  have  nobly  main- 
tained the  warfare  Avith  the  prevalent  systems  of  error ;  and 
now,  Avhen  these  systems  are  ready  to  perish,  a  proposal  to 
abandon  the  field  would  be  monstrous.  God  forbid  that  the 
churches  and  the  Board  should  be  left  to  any  such  course  as 
this.  I  never  should  have  thought  to  speak  of  such  a  thing  as 
abandoning  Bombay,  had  not  such  a  proposal  been  made  by  a 
sub-committee  of  the  Board  a  few  years  since. 

"The  absolute  necessity  for  a  superior  institution  for  the 
training  of  native  preachers,  etc.  etc.,  has  latterly  pressed  more 
and  more  upon  my  mind.     .     . 


92  MISSIO^^  SCHOOLS. 

"  We  hope  that  the  subject  now  brought  before  you  may  be 
considered  at  an  early  day,  and  that  God  may  guide  you  to  a 
wise  decision.  Yon  will  see  how  important  the  question  to  be 
decided  is  in  our  view  ;  and  we  earnestly  hope  that  your  esti- 
mate of  the  subject  may  correspond  with  ours.  We  shall  look 
with  some  anxiety  for  your  reply,  which  we  hope  may  autlior- 
ize  us  to  take  steps  for  carrying  the  plan  into  execution.  With 
kindest  regards  to  your  associates  at  the  mission-house,  in 
which  Mrs.  Hume  unites,  believe  me,  in  the  service  of  Christ, 

"  Yours,  very  sincerely, 

'  ''  R.  W.  Hume." 

This  noble  and  earnest  plea  requires  no  comment.  It  does 
credit  alike  to  the  head  and  the  heart — to  the  manly  and 
Christian  and  missionary  spirit  of  the  author.  How  could 
its  arguments  be  set  aside,  except  by  authority  f 

This  plea  was  virtually  indorsed  by  all  the  other  Ameri- 
can inissionaries  in  Western  India,  and  each  added  remarivs 
from  which  we  present  a  few  extracts.  The  two  other  mis- 
sionaries at  that  time  in  Bombay  were  Rev.  Messrs.  Fair- 
bank  and  Bowen. 

Kev.  S.  B.  Fairbank's  Plea  foi*  Schools. 

"May  25,  1853. 
"  Rev.  R.  Axdeeson,  D.D., 

"  Secretary  A.B.C.F.M. : 

"Reverend  and  Dear  Sir:  There  is  an  important  subject 
on  which  I,  as  well  as  my  brethren  of  the  Bombay  mission, 
believe  it  a  duty  to  address  yon.  It  has  been  to  me  a  source 
of  much  regret  that  our  missions  in  this  presidency  are  losing 
their  promising  young  men.  I  will  give  you  some  facts  for 
illustration  of  my  meaning,  and  then  present  the  conclusion  to 
which  my  mind,  in  revolving  this  and  connected  subjects,  has 
arrived." 

Mentioning  the  case  of  Krishna,  the  Brahman  convert  at 
Satara,  Mr.  F.  says :  "  I  was  pleased  with  his  appearance,  and 
embraced  an  opportunity  for  free  conversation  with  him.  He 
conversed  with  ease  and  propriety  in  English.  In  the  course 
of  the  conversation,  he  gave  me  the  reasons  that  had  decided 
him  to  leave  the  Satara  mission  and  go  to  Bombay.     He  said 


l--rr' 


REV.  S.  B.  FAIRBANK  S  PLEA  FOR  SCHOOLS.      93 

lie  wished  to  be  well  qualitied  for  the  ministry.  He  had  much 
discussion  with  educated  young  men  who  were  vei"sed  in  infi- 
del objections,  who  had  learned  to  scout  Christianity,  and  felt 
proud  of  their  deistical  theology.  He  felt  the  need  of  a  more 
thorough  training,  and  of  much  more  study  and  knowledge, 
and  had  determined  to  have  it.  The  mission  at  Satara  was 
dear  to  him.  He  })referred  to  labor  hi  his  oion  (the  American) 
mission.  But  there  was  a  fitness  for  his  work  demanded  which 
he  coidd  not  get  there,  and  must  have.  I  need  not  recapitu- 
late the  arguments  I  used  to  persuade  him  to  continue  his  work 
as  assistant,  and  by  reading,  and  the  help  of  the  missionaries, 
to  make  up  his  deficiencies.  He  said  he  had  tried  it,  but  could 
not  improve  much  in  that  way.  It  was  only  in  an  institution, 
connected  with  others,  ins})irited  by  discussion  and  fired  by 
emulation,  that  he  could  hope  for  satisfactory  progress.  Two 
days  after,  he  left  Satara  and  proceeded  to  Bond^ay."     .     . 

"  In  close  connection  with  this  case,  I  am  reminded  of  that 
of  Ramchunder  Powar,  who  was  baptized  in  Bombay  the  29th 
nit.,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Mitchell  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland's 
mission,  and  is  now  stndying  in  the  Free  Church  Institution. 
On  the  first  excursion  I  made  in  the  villao-es  after  I  reached 
Ahmednuggur,  I  visited  Kadambe,  where  one  of  the  mission 
schools  was  located.  I  examined  the  school  and  spent  a  Sab- 
bath there,  intensely  interested  with  the  company  that  kept 
around  me  for  conversation  respectmg  Christianity,  though  I 
could  only  stammer  a  little  in  Mahrathi.  .  .  I  noticed  three 
boys  in  the  highest  class  in  the  school,  in  whom  I  atlterwards 
became  much  interested.  They  were  the  sons  of  the  head  men 
(Patils)  of  the  two  divisions  of  the  village.  Two  bore  the 
family  name  of  Powar,  and  one  of  Takte.  They  then  express- 
ed a  desire  to  enter  the  Seminarv  at  Ahmednui]i;o^ur,  and  avear 
before  I  left  A.  for  Bombay  they  had  all  three  become  mem- 
bers of  the  Seminary.  Whenever  their  parents  came  to  Ahmed- 
nuggur, they  used  to  call  on  me,  and  I  enjoyed  talking  with 
tliem  very  much. 

"  After  coming  to  Bombay  I  lost  sight  of  these,  my  friends, 
and  had  not  thought  of  theni  for  a  long  time,  till  Ramcliunder 
Powar,  the  eldest  of  the  boys,  came  to  Bombay,  in  company 
with  Ramaji  Bhore,  and  like  him,  desirous  of  continuing  his 
studies.  AVe  could  offer  them  no  such  means  of  education  as 
they  were   seeking,  and  they  both  became  connected  with  tlu; 


94  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

Free  Church  Institution.  Soon  it  became  known  that  Ram- 
chunder  Avas  desirous  of  baptism,  and  as  liis  conduct  seemed  to 
accord  with  his  profession,  his  Clu'istian  fiiends  felt  that  if, 
after  suitable  probation,  he  should  remain  firm,  the  seal  of  bap- 
tism sliould  be  granted  him.  Soon  his  uncle  came  to  try  to 
change  his  decision,  then  his  father,  then  his  mother.  They 
used  all  the  means  which  Hindus  know  so  well  to  use,  to 
sliake  his  purpose,  but  were  unsuccessful.  We  approved  his 
baptism,  but  he  was  not  baptized  by  us,  his  foster-parents  and 
his  guides  to  the  Saviour.  As  he  naturally  would  be,  he  was 
baptized  by  those  Avith  whom  he  is  now  connected,  and  from 
whom  he  expects  a  liberal  education.  He  will  probably  remain 
with,  and  labor  in  connection  with  that  mission.  I  trust  and 
pray  that  he  may  become,  as  he  appears  likely  to,  a  useful  as- 
sistant in  the  missionary  work.  But  I  could  wish  that  he  had 
remained  with  the  American  mission,  and  that  the  fruits  he 
may  be  privileged  to  gather  had  also  been  given  to  us. 

"  I  feel  sad  when  I  think  of  Ramchunder,  and  Krishna,  and 
Yyenkutrao,*  etc.,  and  when  I  think  that  this  is  but  the  begin- 
ning of  the  exodus  of  the  promising  young  men  we  may  be 
privileged  to  lead  to  Christ.  I  feel  sad  that  Ramaji  Bhore 
should  have  left  Ahmednuggur,  though  I  can  not  condemn  the 
reason  as  wholly  censurable.  Would  I  not  have  done  the  same 
in  similar  circumstances?  I  hear  that  Sidu  Sonar  is  some- 
what inclined  to  follow  in  the  same  course.  The  current  sets 
strong,  and  I  feel  convinced  that  the  best  young  men  who  are 
brought  into  the  churches  of  the  American  missions,  as  they 
learn  their  necessities,  and  see  the  privileges  of  others,  Avill 
leave  us,  and  become  connected  Avith  other  missions,  Avhere 
they  can  prosecute  to  better  advantage  the  study  of  English, 
etc.,  namely,  those  studies  thought  necessary  to  a  liberal  edu- 
cation, and  to  fit  them  for  licensure  and  ordination.  If  these 
young  men  would  go  but  for  a  time,  and  then  come  back  and 
labor  Avith  us,  it  Avere  a  less  calamity.  But  until  the  numbers 
of  such  persons  become  vastly  greater  than  now,  they  will  be 
retained  Avhere  they  have  gone,  and  Ave  shall  not  have  their  aid 
nor  reap  the  harvest  they  will  cultivate. 

"  There  is  a  class  of  young  men  in  Bombay  Avho  are  interested 

*  These  all  left  us  when  the  Mission  Seminary  was  broken  up  by  a  positive 
order  from  Dr.  Anderson. 


1?EV.  ,^.  13.  FATRBAXK  S   PLEA   FOR  SCHOOLS.  95 

in  loariiing  of"  Clirist.  Such  have  frequently  come  to  us  for  con- 
versation, but  no  such  young  man  thinks  of  becoming  perma- 
nently connected  with  us.  lie  woukl  naturally  prefer  to  go 
where  he  finds  a  band  of  similarly-minded  youth  eager  for 
knowledge,  and  under  the  instruction  of  missionaries,  who  arc 
heart  and  soul  engaged  in  supplying  the  mental  as  well  as 
spiritual  hunger  of  such  inquirers.  We  may  gather  such  young 
men  to  a  discussion.  We  may  spend  frequent  hours  in  con- 
versing with  and  instructing  them.  They  may  look  to  us  as, 
in  a  great  measm*e,  their  spiritual  guides.  But  for  reasons  I 
have  stated  we  can  not  hope  to  number  them  among  our  own 
people,  and  to  encourage  the  hearts  of  Christians  in  America  by 
telling  them  of  the  good  they  have  been  instrumental  of  doing 
in  India,  in  helping  to  raise  up  such  champions  for  Christianity. 
I  have  earnestly  sought,  while  endeavoring  to  sow  the  seed 
beside  all  waters,  and  to  spread  as  widely  as  possible  the  know^- 
ledge  of  the  principles,  and  practice,  and  spirit  of  Christianity, 
to  discover  also  the  best  way  of  f/athering  converts  from  among 
the  heathen.  Our  relations  to  you  and  the  American  churches 
require  that  we  shonld  not  be  content  with  sowing  the  seed. 
We  must  also  reap,  and  garner,  and  preserve.  How  shall  we 
get  the  attention  of  the  vast  multitudes  that  throng  Bombay  ? 
How  draw  men  aside  out  of  the  tide  of  business  and  the  cur- 
rent of  public  sentiment,  into  some  eddy  where  they  shall  ex- 
amine their  position  and  course  ?  How  secure  an  earnest  and 
pleased  study  of  those  things  which  pertain  to  their  salvation  ? 
How  persuade  them  to  break  their  fetters,  and  join  Avith  the 
people  of  God  ?  How  lead  them  forth,  and  bring  them  in,  and 
foster  them,  as  good  shepherds  of  the  flock  of  God?  Perhaps 
we  have  paid  too  little  attention  to  gathering  together  and 
training  a  native  church.  Not  that  it  lies  in  man  to  convert 
the  soul,  and  supply  the  continual  oil  of  divine  grace  ;  but  some 
modes  of  operating  are  better  fitted  than  others  to  the  gather- 
ing a  church.  The  church  towards  which  inquiring  souls  shall 
look,  and  into  which  they  shall  flee  for  refuge,  must  have  a 
character,  and  wdiat  shall  go  to  form  that  character  is  matter 
for  grave  consideration. 

*'  We  have  expended  ntucli  time  and  strength  in  the  jiubli- 
cation  of  Christian  books  and  tracts,  and  in  securing  their  sale. 
This  W' ill  remain  a  good  department  of  labor.  It  must  be  per- 
severed  in  with  a  still  greater  earnestness,  and  will  requii-e  a 


96  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

greater  and  greater  amount  of  labor.  But  the  I'csnlts  of  such 
work  are  as  it  were  comminuted  and  disseminated  through 
tlie  entire  country  around  us,  and  the  direct  results,  in  adding 
to  our  church  of  those  who  shall  be  saved,  is  yet  to  be  real- 
ized.    .     . 

"  How  feebly,  in  comparison  with  what  he  might  do,  does 
that  missionary  war  against  the  empire  of  Satan,  who  has 
dropped  from  his  quiver  all  his  polished  shafts,  and  relies  on 
his  clumsy  weapons  and  untutored  skill  of  the  (intellectually 
considered)  children  that  follow  with  him !  That  we  may  do 
the  work  set  before  us  in  2)rovidence,  and  perform  our  part  in 
providing  a  Christian  literature  for  the  infant  church  and  the 
inquiring  community  of  this  presidency,  we  can  not  act  to  good 
purpose,  (comparatively,)  but  with  the  aid  of  well-trained, 
liberally-educated  assistants,  who  recognize  in  us  their  pastors 
and  teachers,  and  whose  eiforts  it  is  ours  to  guide  and  control. 

"  I  would  say  in  this  connection,  that  there  are  causes  oj^e- 
rating,  which  are  waking  up  the  loliole  community,  and  it  will 
not  do  for  us  to  attempt  quarrying  another  and  lower  stratum, 
trying  to  ignore  the  '  enlightened'  body  of  young  men  who 
arc  now^  foremost  in  religious  discussions,  and  Avhose  sentiment, 
and  feelings,  and  spirit  must  necessarily  tinge  and  leaven  the 
whole  mass  of  Hindu  society.  The  rigid  strata  of  Hinduism  are 
being  broken  up  and  pressed  together,  and  this  process  must 
go  on  till  they  disappear  in  the  volcanic  melting,  and  mingling, 
and  re-moulding  of  society  into  its  future  condition.  Who 
shall  bind  the  strong  man,  and  take  from  him  the  armor  where- 
in he  trusts  ?  The  battle  may  be  set  in  array,  but  the  hosts 
wait  till  the  champion  finds  his  equal  and  his  conqueror." 

The  following  extract  from  Mr.  Fairbank's  plea  may 
properly  be  considered  in  close  connection  with  his  testi- 
mony on  the  platform  at  the  special  meeting  in  Albany, 
March,  1856.  Doubtless  many  at  that  meeting  regarded  his 
testimony  as  strongly  in  favor  of  bazaar  or  street-preaching. 
Such  seems  not  to  be  the  view  expressed  in  this  carefully 
written  letter.     In  this  Mr.  F.  writes  : 

• 

"  So  far  as  Bombay  is  concerned,  I  would  not  advocate  the 
expenditure  of  much  mission  strength  in  what  is  called  '  bazaar- 
preaching,'  for  the  expenditure  of  strength  and  spirit  is  too 


REV.  S,   H.  FAIRBANK'S    PLEA    FOK    SCriOOES.  07 

great-,  and  the  rc'!<iilt  generally  is  that  some  'fellow  of  the 
baser  sort '  r-aises  an  uproar,  and  the  only  good  accomplished 
by  the  missionary,  who  is  unable  amid  the  noise  and  confusion 
to  declare  his  message,  is  that  he  can  show  an  example  of  suf- 
fering patience  under  abuse.  Is  not  our  Saviour's  injunction, 
that  we  cast  not  our  pearls  before  swine,  applicable  to  such 
efforts  ?     .     . 

"  In  all  such  efforts  [namely,  preaching  in  our  school-houses 
and  chapels]  there  is  a  necessity  for  a  nucleiis.  The  mission- 
ary must  have  with  him  those  who  constitute  a  small  audience, 
or  he  will  often  fail  of  drawing  hearers  from  out-doors,  and  also 
of  keeping  them  when  drawn  in.  The  mission,  also,  which  has 
its  nucleus,  stands  on  a  vantage-groimd.  That  nucleus  is  at- 
tractive in  many  respects.  There  is  society,  sympathy,  aid, 
standing,  and  indeed  all  t\\o%Q.  facts  of  social  and  religious  life, 
Mhich  are  so  necessary  to  a  man,  and  specially  to  a  Hindu,  and 
which  now  bind  him  in  almost  inseparable  connection  with  his 
own  caste.  .  .  .  There  is  a  grand  defect  in  our  present 
system.  Not  that  any  course  of  effort  in  which  we  have  en- 
gaged should  be  given  up  as  unsatisfactory.  We  may  and  do 
modify  as  occasion  offers.  But  there  is  a  desideratum.  There 
is  a  heart  wanted  to  this  body  of  means,  which  Avould  send  the 
healthy  life-blood  coursing  through  all  its  arteries.  There  is  a 
manufactory  needed  in  which  the  weapons  and  munitions  of 
war  shall  be  prepared.  We  need,  a  first-rate  educational  insti- 
tution^  under  the  charge  of,  and  in  vital  connection  with,  the 
American  Missions  in  Western  India.  This,  it  is  true,  would 
be  but  a  means  in  the  hand  of  God  ;  but  it  would  be,  among 
other  means,  as  the  heart  is  i?i  the  body.     .     . 

"  That  such  an  institution  be  made  available  to  others  than 
Christians ;  it  has  the  example  of  the  colleges  of  Christian 
lands  in  its  favor.  It  would  bring  many  thinking  young  men 
under  Christian  instruction,  whom  God  might  see  fit  to  choose 
for  his  service.  It  would  require  no  greater  expenditure  of 
missionary  strength  than  ought  to  be  devoted  to  teaching  the 
Christian  young  men.  It  would  give,  in  itself,  to  the  mission- 
ary teacher  the  most  hopeful  audience  he  could  at  present  pos- 
sibly collect.  It  would  form  a  magnet  of  attraction  to  those 
without,  bringing  them  to  hear  him  with  attention  and  candor. 
.  .  .  I  see  no  objection  to  allowing  other  young  men  to 
put  themselves  under  so  healthy  an  influence.     I  should  hope 

5 


98  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

their  conversion  in  many  cases,  and  should  expect  that  in  most 
they  would  become  theoretically  Christianized.  I  think,  too, 
that  the  best  interests  of  the  converts  taught  would  require 
larger  classes,  etc.,  than  they  alone  would  constitute. 

*'  Such  an  institution  seems  a  prime  necessity  to  the  Ameri- 
can missions  in  the  Bombay  presidency — to  conserve,  to  attract, 
to  elevate,  to  energize,  to  put  us  in  our  proper  position,  so  that 
we  may  become  not  merely  what  we  are  now  considered,  an  in- 
dustrious corps  of  sappers  and  miners,  but  also  a  body  of  occupa- 
tion. ...  I  have  thus  briefly  sketched  the  course  of 
thought  in  some  of  its  phases,  which  has  convinced  me  of  the 
expediency  and  necessity  of  a  first-class  literary  and  theological 
institution  in  Bombay.  I  am  not  considered  an  educationist, 
in  the  sense  that  our  Scotch  brethren  in  Bombay  are  so.  But 
I  have  seen  and  deplored  a  great  want  of  our  missions.  I  be- 
lieve the  necessity  will  become  more  and  more  palpable  and 
imperative,  till  that  want  is  supplied.  I  would  urge  on  the 
Prudential  Committee  the  establishment  of  such  an  institution 
at  the  earliest  opportunity,  and  on  a  broad  basis.  The  times 
demand  great  efforts,  and  if  we  heed  not  the  signs  of  the 
times,  if  we  shut  our  eyes  to  the  providences  of  God,  we  are 
recreant  to  the  charge  committed  to  us.     .     . 

"  In  the  work  of  the  Lord, 

"  Yours,  fiiithfully, 

"  S.  B.  Fairbank." 

The  Rev.  George  Bowen's  Plea  for  Schools. 

Omitting  the  preface,  Mr.  Bowen  says  : 

"  1.  Among  the  young  men  of  this  country,  the  desire  for 
education  is  very  strong,  and  is  daily  becoming  stronger. 
What  they  principally  seek  is  an  English  education.  They  re- 
gard  it  as  the  avenue  of  success  and  influence.  We  may  find 
fault  with  that  desire ;  we  may  prefer  to  see  them  cling  to  their 
vernaculars  ;  Ave  may  exert  ourselves  to  make  them  do  so :  the 
fact  remains.  We  can  not  overcome  it.  We  should  incur  odium 
by  attempting  to  do  so.  And  having  the  appearance  of  being 
something  providential,  it  commands  our  respect. 

"  2.  Young  men  connected  with  our  missions  in  Western  India 
have  their  full  share  of  this  desire  for  what  is  termed  a  liberal 
education.     And  they  are  drawn  to  institutions  superintended 


REV.  GEORGE   BOWEN'S  PLEA   FOR  SCHOOLS,  99 

by  other  missionaries,  and  the  consequence  is,  that  tliey  join 
other  missions.  This,  though  not  a  great  evil,  is  still,  I  think, 
not  the  most  desirable  state  of  things.  It  is  a  reproach  to  our 
missions  in  the  public  estimation  that  they  should  be  parting 
with  their  couA'erts  in  this  way.     .     . 

"  3.  If  missionaries  have  not  a  mind  to  preach,  (that  is,  to  make 
this  then*  principal  business,)  you  can  not  make  them  preach 
by  shutting  up  their  schools,  or  withholding  the  liberty  to 
found  an  educational  institution.  If  missionaries  have  a  mind 
to  preach,  the  fict  of  their  being  engaged  in  teaching  some 
hours  in  the  middle  of  every  day  will  not  hinder  them  from 
preaching.  Taking  the  year  round,  I  doubt  if  there  be  in  India 
a  missionary  who  preaches  (in  the  technical  sense)  on  an  aver- 
age, two  hours  a  day.  No  missionary  connected  with  the  edu- 
cational institutions  of  Bombay  is  actually  employed  in  them 
more  than  twenty-four  hours  in  the  week. 

"  4.  I  believe,  as  I  have  always  believed,  that  the  greatest 
results  of  missionary  eifort  shall  eventually  be  seen  in  connec- 
tion with  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  I  look  for  no  great  and 
splendid  spiritual  results  from  educational  eftbrts.  As  things 
now  are,  they  seem  to  be  expedient ;  they  seem  to  be  neces- 
sary. A  day  is  coming,  doubtless,  when  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  will  be  attended  by  such  displays  of  the  power  of  God, 
as  have  never  yet  been  witnessed.  That  day  may  be  at  hand. 
But  at  present  street-preaching  is  little  else  than  street-quar- 
relling. Wherever  you  go  in  Bombay,  men  present  them- 
selves armed  with  infidel  objections  against  Christianity,  or 
with  obscene  descriptions  of  its  origin,  or  with  a  treasury  of 
personal  insults,  or  with  an  overwhelming  volume  of  voice,  or 
in  defjiult  of  all,  with  handfuls  of  sand.  And  the  most  com- 
plete refutation  of  their  objections,  though  repeated  a  hundred 
times,  never  induces  them  to  relinquish  a  single  one  of  those 
objections.  ...  I  would  not  have  any  thing  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  preachuig.  But  I  see  not  why  an  educational  in- 
stitution, where  any  native  of  any  caste  may  come  and  learn 
Natural  History,  Natural  and  Mental  Philosophy,  Natural  The- 
ology, History,  English,  the  grammar  of  his  own  language, 
Geography,  Logic,  the  Evidences  of  Christianity,  the  Bible — 
why  such  an  institution,  particularly  cared  for  by  two  mission- 
aries, with  native  assistants,  may  not  exist  in  conjunction  with 
all  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  that  now  is  in  Bombay. 


100  MISSION   SCI-IOOLS. 

"  5.  If  yoinig  men  ;ire  not  afforded  the  means  of  getting  an 
education  such  as  I  have  just  indicated,  they  will  go  to  the 
o^overnment  schools,  and  get  an  education  from  which  the  more 
beneficent  features  of  the  above  list  are  excluded.  They  will 
thus  become  infidels. 

"  6.  I  believe  this  mission  is  possessed  of  the  pecuniary  means 
of  commencing  such  an  establishment.  The  fund,  in  my  opin- 
ion, should  be  used  ;  and  I  see  no  better  way  than  this. 

"  7.  I  am  willing  to  aid  in  such  an  institution  to  any  extent 
that  may  be  thought  desirable.  I  am  also  willing  to  remaia 
disconnected  with  it.     .     .     In  all  faithfulness, 

"  Yours, 

*'  Geo.  Bowe?^'." 

These  impartial  views  of  Mr.  Bowen  are  tlie  more  valua- 
ble, as  lie  went  to  India  with  views  and  feelings  strongly  in 
favor  of  oral  preaching,  as  the  only  proper  agency.  A  few 
years'  experience  led  him  to  the  views  here  expressed. 

In  the  statements  of  these  three  brethren,  we  have  the 
honest  convictions  of  the  whole  Bombay  mission  on  the 
question  at  issue.  But  those  brethren  did  not  rest  here. 
They  knew  that  their  convictions  were  opposed  to  the  views 
and  wishes  of  Dr.  Anderson.  For  this  reason,  and  to  give 
him  and  the  Committee  the  benefit  of  all  our  united  views, 
the  brethren  in  Bombay  forwarded  their  own  appeals  to 
Boston,  and  immediately  sent  copies  of  them  to  Ahmed- 
nuggur,  Satara  and  Kolapoor,  with  the  following 

"  Circular. 

"  To  the  Rev.  H.  Ballij^tine,  Rev.  A.  IIazex,  Rev.  L.  Bis- 
SELL,  Rev.  E.  Burgess,  Rev.  W.  Wood,  Rev.  R.  G.  Wilder  : 

"  Dear  Brethren  :  We  forward  herewith  for  your  perusal 
copies  of  letters  which  were  dispatched  by  us  to  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Anderson,  by  the  mail  of  yesterday.  It  was  our  wish  to  for- 
ward with  these  letters  an  expression  of  your  views  regarding 
our  proposal  to  commence  an  educational  institution  in  Bom- 
bay. Want  of  time  necessarily  prevented  this,  and  as  there  is 
no  other  mail  for  a  considerable  time,  we  thought  it  best  not 
to  detain  the  letters.  The  subject  is  one  in  which  you  will  feel 
much  interest,  and  it  is  proper  that  the  Prudential  Committee 


KEV.  HEXRY  BALLAXTINE'S   PLEA  FOR   SCHOOLS.      101 

should  know  your  feelings  and  views  in  regard  to  it.  "We  wish 
to  furnish  them  with  all  the  light  which  can  be  obtained,  so 
that  they  may  fully  understand  the  merits  of  the  question.  If 
you  will  kindly  peruse  these  letters,  and  favor  us  with  an  ex- 
pression of  your  views,  we  will  forward  them  to  the  Prudential 
Committee  by  the  first  overland  mail.     .     . 

"  Yours,  verv  fiithfullv, 
"  R.  W.  Hume, 
"  S.  B.  Fairbank, 
"  Geo.  Bowex." 

Rev.  Henry  Ballantine's  Plea  for  Schools. 

This  "circular"  elicited  a  reply  from  Mr.  Ballantine, 
signed  also  by  the  other  brethren  at  Ahmednuggur,  from 
which  we  present  the  following  extracts,  namely : 

"  In  reference  to  the  proposed  plan  of  the  Bombay  brethren 
for  the  establishment  of  an  educational  institution  in  connection 
with  that  mission,  I  have  only  a  few  remarks  to  make,  as  1 
concur  generally  in  the  views  expressed  by  the  Bombay 
brethren. 

"1.  I  believe,  with  Mr.  Hume,  that  the  existence  of  the 
Bombay  mission  is  at  stake.  Very  few  missionaries  would  bo 
willino-  to  work  under  the  circumstances  of  discouras^ement 
and  humiliation  to  which  our  Bombay  brethren  have  been  long 
subjected.  .  .  .  They  are  not  permitted  to  reap  any  of 
the  fruits  of  their  labors  themselves,  because  those  individuals 
who  are  fixvorably  affected  by  these  means,  are  at  once  drawn 
to  other  missions,  where  they  receive  religious  instruction, 
and  when  baptized  are  of  course  received  into  those  mission 
churches.  Now  who  will  be  willino;  to  o'O  and  labor  in  Bom- 
bay  under  such  discouraging  circumstances  ?  ...  I  do 
not  believe  that  any  missionaries  will  be  found  willing  to  sup- 
ply the  place  of  the  Bombay  brethren  after  they  are  removed, 
and  that  that  mission  must  therefore  become  extinct,  unless 
there  be  a  change  of  mission  policy — ^and  I  see  no  other  plan 
at  present  than  that  proposed  by  the  brethren  there.  It  is 
the  only  way  they  can  obtain  an  audience  of  persons  most 
likely  to  be  affected  by  the  truth,  under  favorable  circum- 
stances for  making  a  lasting  impression  on  their  minds  and 
hearts.     .     .     , 


102  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

"  2.  Shall  the  Bombay  mission  be  given  up  ?  I  hope  this 
alternative  will  not  be  thought  of.  I  know  not  what  we  should 
do  in  the  Deccan  without  the  Bombay  mission.  That  mission 
is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  best  working  of  our  missions  in 
the  interior.  Besides  the  remarks  which  Mr.  Hume  has  made 
on  this  point,  in  which  I  fully  concur,  I  would  add  that  the 
abandonment  of  our  printing-press  at  Bombay  would  be,  in  my 
opinion,  of  immense  detriment  to  the  cause  of  Christ.*  Even 
should  it  pass  into  the  hands  of  another  mission,  this  would  be 
the  case.  But  especially  would  the  interests  of  our  missions  in 
the  Deccan  suffer  from  giving  up  our  mission  in  Bombay  with 
its  efficient  native  press.  "We  should  feel  crippled  in  all  our 
operations.     .     . 

"  3.  I  approve  of  the  plan  Avhich  the  Bombay  brethren  pro- 
pose. .  .  .  They  have  not  the  privilege  of  using  the  capa- 
cit}^  of  instructing,  which  they  have  with  great  labor  acquired, 
under  circumstances  where  it  will  turn  to  the  best  account. 
They  have  no  means  of  bringing  around  them  that  class  of 
minds  which  they  are  best  prepared  to  influence,  and  lohick 
are  the  minds  which  in  a  few  years  will  influence  the  great 
mass  of  the  native  community.  Until  they  have  this  educa- 
tional institution  which  they  desire  to  see  established,  they  are 
shut  out  from  that  class  of  young  men  entirely,  except  as  op- 
portunities of  casual  intercourse  occur.  To  a  zealous  mission- 
ary this  is  extremely  tantalizing  and  discouraging.  .  .  .  An 
institution  there,  will  be  of  great  use  to  us,  as  things  are  at 
present.  Our  young  men  will  be  saved  from  running  to  other 
missions,  and  even  some  of  those  who  have  left  us  to  attend 
the  institutions  in  Bombay  may  be  brought  back.  As  for  the 
future  we  know  not  Avhat  is  before  us,  and  it  is  useless  to  spec- 
ulate on  what  may  be  our  necessities  before  long.  The  face  of 
society  is  now  undergoing  great  and  rapid  changes  in  the  com- 
munity around  us.  Large  classes  of  educated  young  men  are 
coming  forth  on  the  stage,  who  have  been  trained  in  the  gov- 
ernment schools,  and  who  are  exerting  very  great  influence  on 
the  masses  around  them,  for  they  are  able  to  penetrate  those 
masses  and  to  diffuse  their  infidel  and  atheistic  opinions  with 
very  great  success.     We  see  this  process  going  on,  on  every 

*  The  Deputation  crippled  this  press,  when  in  India,  and  it  has  since  been 
entirely  given  up. 


REV.  HENRY  BALLANTINE  S   PLEA  FOR  SCHOOLS.      103 

side.  Now  we  must  have  tlie  means  of  reaching  these  educated 
young  men,  of  commanding  their  respect,  and  of  bringing 
them  around  us  to  liear  lectures  on  science  and  morals  and  re- 
ligion. We  can  not  do  without  these  means  in  Bombay;  the 
only  way  of  accomplishing  the  object  is  that,  I  believe,  which 
the  brethren  there  have  proposed.  ...  We  must  be  pre- 
pared to  use  the  most  effective  means  for  reaching  the  class  of 
mind  that  is  to  influence  the  community  here  for  years  to 
come. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  that  the  brethren  in  Bombay  have  come 
boldly  up  and  faced  the  difficulty  before  them,  and  devised  a 
plan  for  overcoming  it.  It  is  indeed  a  question  of  life  or  death 
with  them.     ... 

"H.  Ballantine, 
"  A.  Hazen, 
"  Ahmedxuggur,  June  4,  1853.  "  L.  Bissell." 

Rev.  A.  Hazen,  in  addition  to  tbe  above  plea,  sent  a  sep- 
arate letter  to  the  Bombay  brethren,  of  wbich  the  following 
is  an  extract : 

"  The  question  of  giving  up  Bombay  is  the  question  of  giv- 
ing up  all  Western  India.,  and  I  can  regard  it  in  no  other  light, 
I  should  be  very  unwilling  to  labor  here  and  no  one  in  Bombay, 
imless  circumstances  be  very  different  from  what  I  conceive 
them  to  be.  I  feel  that  all  the  brethren  on  this  side  of  India 
will  enter  an  emphatic  protest  against  any  such  step.  This 
proposal  [for  the  institution]  brings  to  mind  the  oneness  in  in- 
terest of  all  our  missions,  and  I  am  very  glad  to  see  it  is  so. 
May  the  present  feeling  oi fraternity  never  be  interfered  with. 
May  we  all  be  ready  to  stand  by  each  other,  shoulder  to  shoul- 
der in  this  great  work.  I  feel  that  there  is  no  doubt  of  a 
unanimous  expression  of  feeling  going  home  in  regard  to  this 
subject,  and  hence,  I  trust,  great  good  will  result.  I  am  very 
glad  you  have  thought  out  your  plans  so  successfully." 

Writing  on  another  occasion  with  express  reference  to 
Dr.  Anderson's  views,  Mr.  Hazen  says :  ''I  can  not  go  with 
Dr.  Anderson.  ...  I  have  never  advocated  such  a 
plan  for  schools  as  Dr.  A.  makes,"  etc. 

The  Rev.  L.  Bissell,  also,  besides  signing  the  document 


104  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

given  above,  prepared  by  Mr.  Ballantine,  sent  to  Mr.  Hume 
the  following  earnest  approval  of  the  proposed  institution : 

"I  like  the  plan  proposed,  and  am  glad  to  see  it  presented 
to  the  Connnittee  in  so  strong  a  light.  I  trust  it  will  receive  a 
candid  consideration  and  a  prompt  response.  It  seems  to  me 
that  any  doubt  of  the  expediency  and  immediate  necessity  of 
an  institution  of  the  kind  asked  for,  can  no  longer  remain." 

Rev.  Messrs.  Burgess  and  "Wood's  Plea  for  Schools. 

From  the  response  of  these  brethren  at  Satara,  take  the 
following  extract : 

"  The  arguments  advanced  by  the  brethren  of  the  Bombay 
mission  in  favor  of  an  educational  department  of  a  high  order, 
we  think  sound  and  conclusive^  and  we  can  not  see  how  the 
Prudential  Committee  can  fail  to  be  convinced  of  the  absolute 
necessity  of  such  a  department  in  our  Western  India  missions. 

"The  letters  of  the  Bombay  brethren,  together  with  the 
communication  from  the  Ahmednuggur  mission,  have  gone  so 
fully  into  the  whole  subject  that  little  more  remains  to  be  said. 
To  write  our  own  views  would  be  repeating  what  they  have 
already  written.  We  remark  therefore  that  we  concur  in 
general  with  the  views  expressed  in  these  letters,  and  we  think 
the  Prudential  Committee  should  accede  to  their  request. 

"  The  reason  why  the  Committee  have  of  late  not  been  so 
favorably  inclined  to  educational  labors,  hi  their  Western  India 
missions,  appears  to  be  that  they  wish  to  have  as  much  time, 
and  strength  as  possible  given  to  the  work  of  2^^"^ciching  the 
Gosxjd.  The  work  oi preaching^  technically  so  called,  Ave  con- 
sider an  important  work.  We  would  not  have  less  of  preach- 
ing, but  we  would  have  more  of  teaching.  And  we  believe 
that  a  mission  with  an  educational  department,  such  as  the 
Bombay  brethren  propose,  would  not  do  less  of  2^reachmg, 
with  such  a  department.  .  .  We  believe  that  in  such  a 
country  as  this,  were  the  entire  field  left  to  us,  the  best  aiid  the 
only  true  mission  policy  would  be  for  our  missions  to  have 
schools  of  a  high  order. 

"Wm.  Wood, 

"  Satara,  June  16,  1853.  "E.  Burgess." 


RKV.  S.    i;.    MUNGKIl  S   PLKA   FOR   SCHOOLS.  105 

Again  brother  Wood  Avrites :  "  Our  views  are  similar  to 
those  expressed  in  the  Bombay  documents ;  and  it  seems  to 
me  there  can  be  but  one  view  by  any  missionary  wlio  lias  had 
any  experience  in  the  field.  I  can  not  but  feel  that  our  present 
plan  of  operations  is  very  defective.  We  ought  to  have  a  good 
scliool  in  all  our  missions.  .  .  I  have  no  doubt  that  could  you 
connnence  a  good  school,  [at  Kolapoor,]  you  would  in  this  way 
gain  a  more  ready  access  to  minds,  and  preach  the  Gospel 
more  effectively  than  in  any  other  way." 

Rev.  S.  B.  Munger's  Plea  for  Schools. 

At  the  time  of  these  earnest  pleadings  for  our  scTiools, 
!Mr.  Mnnger  was  making  his  second  visit  to  America.  But 
as  he  was  still  a  member  of  the  missions,  and  having 
changed  his  views,  was  hastened  back  to  India,  overland, 
in  time  to  be  present  with  the  Deputation,  it  is  proper  to 
give  his  honest  convictions  a  place  in  this  connection.  lie 
had  made  a  permanent  record  of  them  and  the  results  of  his 
missionary  experience,  a  few  3"ears  before,  in  the  following 
language,  namely : 

"  The  hope,  therefore,  of  India's  emancipation  from  the 
thraldom  of  Hinduism,  and  of  her  exaltation  to  the  social  and 
moral  dignity  and  blessedness  which  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of 
God  has  poAver  to  confer,  looks  for  its  most  ample  realization 
to  the  Christian  education  of  the  children  and  the  youth  of  the 
nation.  .  .  The  use  of  the  "Western  sciences  is  as  really  a 
means  of  recducatiny  the  Hindu  tnind.,  as  is  the  -use  of  the 
Christicoi  Bible  and  any  system  of  Christian  ethics.  .  . 
The  Puranas  are  alike  the  source  of  knowledge  in  religion  and 
Science.  And,  therefore,  the  endeavor  to  supplant  Hindu  sci- 
ence by  the  introduction  of  YY^estern  sciences,  will  most  surely 
prove  the  subversion  of  the  Hindu  religion." 

These  deep  convictions  and  emphatic  statements  of  Mr. 
Munger  are  found  scattered  through  the  history  of  the  Ah- 
mednuggur  mission,  and  more  of  them  ynW  find  their  ap- 
propriate record  in  developing  the  facts  of  that  mission. 

Of  the  whole  band  of  American   missionaries   then  in 

Western  India,  the  only  one  remaining,  whose  views  have 
"it. 


106  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

not  been  given,  was  myself,  in  tlie  little  new  mission  at  Kol- 
apoor.  My  views  are  so  well  known  that  it  is  hardly  neces- 
sary to  state  them  here.  From  the  statements  sent  to  the 
Committee  at  the  time,  with  those  of  the  other  brethren, 
the  following  brief  extracts  are  sufficient : 

"  The  valid  aroniment  in  favor  of  such  an  institution  is  that 
it  will  bring  talented  young  men  under  the  influence  of  the 
mission  and  of  Christian  truth.  .  .  I  regard  it  the  wisest 
policy  to  have  an  educational  institution  of  high  character  con- 
nected with  each  and  all  our  Mahratta  missions,  from  their  ori- 
gin.''''  "  I  am  glad  to  see  your  strong  position  in  favor  of 
English.  It  is  impregnable.  If  you  can  get  up  such  an  insti- 
tntion  in  Bombay,  I  shall  rejoice  to  see  it  prosper." 

As  the  need  of  such  a  school  at  Kolapoor  has  been  men- 
tioned in  the  foregoing  paragraph,  it  may  be  well  to  say  just 
here,  that  I  was  allowed  to  employ  an  assistant,  a  pious 
Indo-Briton,  at  an  expense  of  some  $500  a  year.  With  him 
already  in  service,  such  a  high-school  at  K.  would  have  in- 
volved little  or  no  additional  expense.  In  such  a  school  his 
service  would  have  been  invaluable.  With  no  such  regular 
duty,  the  benefit  of  his  assistance  was  scarcely  appreciable, 
and  I  dismissed  him  from  an  unavoidable  feeling  that  his 
support  was  not  a  proper  expenditure  of  mission  funds. 
But  this  in  passing. 

The  reader  has  now  before  him  the  unanimous  views  and 
earnest  pleadings  of  all  the  American  missionaries  then  iii 
Western  India,  in  behalf  of  schools,  and  especially  of  a 
high  -  school  in  Bombay.  There  was  not  one  dissenting 
voice  in  our  whole  number.  What  was  the  result?  Did 
our  senior  Secretary  remember  his  own  considerate  ad- 
vice, namely :  "  Let  the  friends  of  missions  consider  wheth- 
er opinions  formed  by  wise  and  good  men  here  at  home, 
relative  to  the  internal  affairs  of  the  missions,  are,  on  the 
whole,  more  likely  to  be  right,  than  those  formed  in  heath- 
en lands  by  men  equally  pious,  learned,  and  discreet,  hav- 
ing the  same  New  Testament  to  guide  them"  ?  In  the 
spirit  of  this  advice  did  he  say:  "Brethren,  you  are  all 
united  in  j^our  views.     You  have  been  on  the  ground  many 


!->' 


REV.  R.  AV.  HUME'S   SECOND   PLEA  FOR  SCHOOLS.      107 

years,  bearing  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day.  You  know 
better  about  this  matter  than  we  do.  You  shall  have  your 
schools."  Was  this  the  generous  response?  Let  us  see. 
The  historical  record  runs  as  follows : 

Those  earnest  appeals  from  all  the  missionaries^  pleading 
for  the  school  with  all  possible  haste^  were  dispatched  from 
India  the  last  of  May,  1853.  A  prompt  reply  might  have 
reached  them  in  about  four  months.  A  brief  acknowledoc- 
vnent  of  their  receipt  was  penned  in  Boston,  September  9th, 
but  not  forwarded  till  November,  cind  reached  India  Jan- 
uary 9th,  1854  I  It  bore  a  postscript  of  November  1st,  saying 
it  had  been  forgotten  or  mislaid  in  Dr.  A.'s  desk.  But  the 
most  grievous  thing  about  it,  to  those  dear  brethren  in 
Bombay,  was,  that  it  did  not  grant  their  request.  They  had 
waited  some  eight  months,  as  patiently  as  possible,  hoping 
and  expecting  permission  to  put  the  school  in  operation  and 
thus  find  relief  from  their  embarrassing  position.  But  the 
letter  brought  no  such  permission  It  recognized  the  lucid, 
unanimous  and  weighty  character  of  their  arguments,  and 
the  necessity  of  some  sort  ol  a  school  somewhere,  but  doubts 
were  expressed  as  to  its  proposed  character  and  locality, 
and  several  questions  were  propounded ;  as  for  instance  : 
"  Would  you  have  proposed  such  an  institution  at  Bombay, 
were  you  not  subjected  to  the  annoyance  of  the  Scotch  and 
English  high-schools  in  that  place  ?"  ''  Would  it  not  be 
necessary  .  .  that  it  be  every  way  equal  to  the  English 
and  Scotch  schools?"  etc.  The  hopes  of  those  brethren 
were  disappointed  by  this  letter.     What  could  they  do  ? 

It  is  sufficient  here  to  record  what  they  did  do.  Three 
days  after  its  receipt  Mr.  Hume  penned  a  long  reply,  from 
which  the  following  extracts  are  taken : 

Rev.  R.  W.  Hume's  Second  Plea  for  Schools. 

"Bombay,  12th  January,  1854. 
"  Rev.  RuFus  AxDERSox,  D.D., 

"  Secretary  to  the  A.B.C.F.M. : 
"  Dear  Sir  :  Your  letter  to  the  brethren  of  the  Bombay 
mission,  dated  9th  September,  1853,  with  its  postscript  dated 
November  1st,  reached  us  on  the  9th  instant.     With  yon  we 


108  MISSTOX   ^^CHOOL.S. 

regret  the  clclriy  that  has  taken  place  in  forwarding  that  letter, 
and  hasten  to  reply  to  your  inquiries.  .  .  Such  an  institu- 
tion would  present  a  most  important  field  of  missionary  labor. 
(1.)  It  is  needed  for  converts,  the  children  of  converts,  and 
others  more  or  less  connected  with  the  mission.  (2.)  It  is 
needed  as  a  means  for  bringing  the  missionaries  into  contact 
with  young  men  and  youth  of  res])ectability  and  influence — 
the  class  v>'hich,  above  all  otheis,  is  the  most  liopeful  and  im- 
portant. (3.)  The  rising  generation  is  thirsting  for  knowledge; 
there  is  on  all  sides  a  great  and  growing  desire  for  the  acqui- 
sition of  English  ;  one  that  can  not  and  will  not  be  repressed. 
This  is  a  most  important  fact  in  reference  to  our  field  of  labor, 
and  one  which  we  are  called  on  to  turn  to  account.  As  for- 
merly remarked,  v/e  should  discern  the  signs  of  the  times  and 
fall  in  with  the  arrangements  of  an  all-wise  and  holy  Provi- 
dence. If  we  are  to  act  on  the  rising  generation  of  young 
men,  if  we  would  bring  them  under  our  influence  and  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Gospel,  then  we  are  in  a  manner  shut  up  to  the 
course  already  recommended.  (4.)  If  there  are  not  mission 
schools  of  a  high  order,  then  the  enterprising,  influential  youth 
who  desire  an  education,  and  who  are  hereafter  to  guide  the 
destinies  of  this  great  country,  must  go  to  the  government 
schools,  from  which  Christianity  is  excluded,  and  where,  al- 
most as  a  matter  of  course,  they  become  deists  and  infidels. 
And  is  the  Church  of  Christ  to  sit  down  contented,  and  leave 
all  the  leading  minds  of  the  rising  generation  to  be  trained 
under  such  influences  ?  If  so,  then  alas !  for  India.  Alas  ! 
for  the  native  churches,  and  for  the  cause  of  Christ  in  this 
country.  "WHio  are  to  control  the  periodical  press  ?  Who  are 
to  discuss  and  settle  all  the  rehgious  and  social  questions  which 
for  years  to  come  must  agitate  native  society?  Who,  during 
the  next  half-century,  are  to  mould  public  opinion,  provide 
books  for  the  people,  and,  under  God,  fix  the  character  of  suc- 
ceeding generations  ? 

"  All  this  must,  for  the  most  part,  be  done  by  those  who  re- 
ceive a  superior  education.  It  is  as  true  here  as  elsewhere, 
that  knowledge  is  power.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  educated  men 
will  mould  the  opinions  of  the  people.  And  if  those  educated 
men  are  generally  deists  and  infidels,  bitterly  opposed  to  the 
Gospel,  then  Avhat  an  obstacle  must  it  be  to  the  progress  of 
truth  and  righteousness! 


REV.  K.  W.  TfrMlc's   SECOND    PT.E.A  FOR   SCHOOLS.      ICO 

"If,  therefore,  we  had  the  whole  ground  to  ourselves,  mid 
there  were  no  missionary  institution  in  Bombay,  for  imparting 
a  superior  education,  it  would  be  our  imperative  duty  to  found 
one  without  delay.  If  need  he^  let  the  connnon  school  be  dis- 
banded, let  street-preaching  and  tours  be  sacrificed,  and  let  the 
missionaries  as  a  primary  duty,  address  themselves  to  the  work 
of  raising  up  educated,  competent  defenders  of  the  truth,  and 
thus  raise  up  a  barrier  against  the  rising  liood  of  Deism  and 
Infidelity.  They  should  pray  and  strive,  first  of  all,  that  native 
laborers,  workmen  who  need  not  be  asliamed,  may  be  sent 
forth  into  this  great  vineyard.  The  soul  of  the  most  ignorant 
and  humble  individual  is  indeed  of  infinite  value ;  but  in  a  mis- 
sionary point  of  view,  a  single  individual  of  education  and 
talents,  who  can  maintain  an  aggressive  warfare  with  ignor- 
ance, error,  and  superstition,  is  worth  scores  and  even  hun- 
dreds of  feeble,  ignorant  converts,  who  need  to  be  carried 
and  cared  for  like  new-born  children. 

"  In  giving  a  prominent  place  to  education,  the  other  mis- 
sions in  Bombay  evince  a  practical  wisdom  which  is  deserving 
of  the  highest  commendation.  They  are  acting  in  keeping  with 
the  spirit  of  the  times — in  keeping  with  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  are  placed,  in  the  midst  of  a  great  heathen  city. 
Their  plan  may  not  be  the  best  in  all  its  details,  but  they  are 
wise  in  giving  special  prominence  to  the  Christian  education  of 
the  rishig  generation.  And  such  is  the  deep  and  general  con- 
viction of  the  most  judicious  and  ardent  friends  of  Christ  in 
this  country. 

"  Thus  I  have  given  an  affirmative  answer  to  your  first  ques- 
tion. What  we  tnight  th'mk^  or  what  we  might  do^  in  certain 
coriceivable  circumstances,  is  however,  a  minor  matter.  Our 
duty  is  to  act  in  view  of  actual  circumstances.  And  to  the 
best  of  our  ability,  we  have  already  informed  you  what  those 
circumstances  are.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  repeat,  (1)  that 
in  connection  witli  each  of  the  other  missions  in  Bombay,  there 
is  an  institution  for  imparting  a  superior  education  ;  such  an 
education  as  is  desired  by  the  influential  and  promising  young 
men ;  (2)  that  the  converts  and  the  children  of  the  converts 
fully  share  in  the  desire  for  education,  and  if  they  can  not  ob- 
tain it  in  connection  with  us,  they  will  obtain  it  elsewhere — as 
indeed  they  ought  to  do  ;  for  outcasts  as  they  are,  and  hated 
and  persecuted  by  the  heathen,  they  can  in  no  other  way 
secure  inlluence  and  respect.     (:^)  The  converts  will  n.-.tni-ally 


110  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

come  under  the  influence  of,  and  prefer  to  be  connected  with, 
the  mission  in  which  they  or  their  children  are  educated. 
Thus  the  best  scholars  of  our  schools,  the  children  of  our  con- 
verts, and  inquirers  who  share  in  the  desire  for  education, 
must  be  drawn  away  from  us  to  other  missions.  We  are  not 
in  a  position  to  gather  the  fruit  of  our  labor.  Justice  to  the 
missionaries  ;  justice  to  the  churches  which  sustain  them  ;  and 
justice  to  the  Society  with  which  they  are  connected,  demands 
that  such  a  state  of  things  should,  continue  no  longer.  We 
enter  our  deliberate,  solemn,  and  united  protest  against  the 
policy  which  places  the  missionaries  of  the  American  churches 
in  such  unfavorable  and  trying  circumstances.  And  we  can 
not  believe  that  either  the  churches  or  the  Board,  will  for  a 
moment  consent  that  this  state  of  things  should  be  perpetu- 
ated. .  The  times  demand  that  we  have  an  eflicient  institu- 
tion, and  an  all-wise  Providence  is  shutting  us  up  to  this  course. 
Nothing  else  can  save  the  mission  from  constant  depletion  and 
consequent  Aveakness.  And  why  should  not  the  American 
churches  have  as  much  practical  wisdom,  and  be  as  ready  to 
come  up  to  the  exigencies  of  the  case  as  the  churches  of  other 
lands  ? 

"  You  ask  what  we  propose  regarding  expense.  .  .  At 
first  we  should  expect  to  rent  premises,  the  monthly  expense 
of  which  would  probably  be  from  50  to  100  rupees  ;  and  the 
other  expenses  ought  to  be  about  200  rupees  a  month.  Prob- 
ably Rs.  250  (==  $113)  a  month,  would  cover  all  this  expense. 
Ere  long,  an  effort  to  provide  a  building  should  be  made,  the 
expense  of  which,  land  included,  should  not  be  less  than  that 
of  the  Free  Church  Institution  ;  say,  about  $25,000.  If  not 
provided  for  before,  this  might  be  raised  daring  your  '  Jubilee 
Year.'  My  hope  is,  that  by  proper  representations  to  wealthy 
individuals,  the  requisite  amount  may  be  raised  in  pretty  large 
sums,  or  by  a  special  efibrt  in  some  particular  locality,  without 
at  all  interfering  with  the  general  income  of  the  Board." 

It  is  proper  to  sa}'  here,  the  annual  interest  of  the  money 
spent  by  the  Deputation,  if  well  invested,  would,  I  think, 
bave  supported  this  High-School  which  they  went  to  sup- 
press, in  perpetuo.  Or,  it  would  have  met  nearly  half  the 
cost  of  the  building  desired,  and  brother  Hume  could  easily 
have  raised  the  balance  in  India,  in  a  twelve-month. 


REV.  I?.  W.  nUME's  SECOND   PLEA  FOR  SCHOOLS.      Ill 

Mr.  Hume  continnes  :  "  I  am  not  unaware  of  the  difficulty 
of  raising  money,  but  the  same  spirit  that  is  filling  our  own 
land  with  academies,  colleges,  and  theological  seminaries,  if 
properly  enlightened  and  called  forth,  will  not  fiiil  to  provide 
a  suitable  institution  for  the  oldest  mission  of  the  Board,  lo- 
cated as  it  is  in  a  city  of  more  than  half  a  million  of  people, 
and  the  chief  centre  of  influence  to  all  Western  India  and  the 
adjacent  countries.  No  part  of  the  heathen  world,  as  we 
believe,  presents  a  more  inviting  field  for  missionary  opera- 
tions. And  no  where  is  the  call  for  superior  education,  in  con- 
nection with  such  operations,  more  unmistakable  and  imper- 
ative.    .     . 

"  If  this  mission  is  to  l)e  doomed  to  a  living  death,  then  all 
plans  for  the  training  of  candidates  for  the  ministry  is  but 
building  castles  in  the  air.  I  will  only  add  that  the  almost  in- 
dispensable necessity  for  superior  educational  institutions  in 
connection  with  missions,  especially  in  large  towns,  is  now  all 
but  universally  acknowledged  by  missionaries  and  the  friends 
of  the  Gospel  in  India.  And  this  conviction  has  been  arrived 
at,  not  as  the  result  of  mere  theory,  but  in  spite  of  all  previous 
theories.  It  is  the  result  of  long  and  general  experience,  and 
an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  circumstances  of  the  field. 
This  fact  certainly  is  deserving  of  some  weight  in  the  minds 
of  missionary  committees  at  home  ;  and  those  who  venture  to 
set  it  at  naught,  assume  a  very  great  responsibility. 

"  By  fiir  the  greater  portion  of  the  aggressive  power  of  the 
native  churches  is  the  fruit  of  mission  schools,  and  especially 
of  the  institutions  for  impaiting  a  superior  education.  Some- 
thing has  been  gained  through  the  conversion  of  pundits, 
[heathen]  teachers  of  common  schools,  and  others  who  in 
various  ways  have  been  brought  into  long-continued  and  inti- 
mate connection  with  the  missionaries.  The  converts  who 
have  been  gathered  in  as  the  fruit  of  bazaar  preaching  and 
tours — what  is  sometimes  designated  evangelistic,  in  opposi- 
tion to  educational  operations — have  generally  been  ignorant 
and  uninfluential ;  most  of  them  have  been  from  the  lower 
castes,  and  have  added  little  or  nothing  to  the  moral  power 
of  the  Church.  They  have  generally  exerted  but  little — very 
little  aggressive  influence ;  and  too  often  have  hung  like  a 
dead  weight  upon  the  mission.     .     .     I  would  advocate  edu- 


112  MISSION   SCHOOLS.    • 

cational  institutions,  not  in  place  of  preaching  the  Gospel,  but 
because  in  them  and  through  them  the  Gospel  can  here  be 
best  brought  into  contact  with  the  mind  and  the  heart  of  the 
community.  To  designate  as  an  educationalist  him  who  labors 
in  an  institution,  instructing  the  pupils  in  the  Bible,  the  evi- 
dences of  Christianity,  and  the  higher  branches  of  useful  learn- 
ing, and  to  term  him  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  wdio  labors  in 
the  bazaars  and  Tillages,  is  simply  an  abuse  of  terms.  The 
ibrmer  preaches  the  Gospel  as  truly  and  as  much  as  the  latter ; 
and  in  far  moi'e  favorable  circumstances. 

"  Such  are  my  present  convictions,  with  which  those  of  the 
other  members  of  the  mission  fully  agree.  Such  has  been  the 
experience  of  the  India  missions,  as  a  whole  ;  and  such  are  the 
well-known  opinions  of  the  great  majority  of  the  missionaries 
in  this  country.     .     . 

"  Praying  that  you  and  the  Committee  may  be  guided  in 
this  and  all  other  matters  with  wisdom  from  on  high,  I  remain, 
in  the  service  of  (^hrist.  Yours  very  foithfully, 

^'R.  W.Hume." 

Rev.  S.  B.  Fairbank's  Second  Plea  for  Schools. 

Mr.  Fairbank  approved  of  Mr.  Hume's  letter,  and  sent  to 
Dr.  Anderson  additional  remarks,  of  wliich  the  following- 
extracts  speak  for  themselves  : 

"  Your  disappointment  and  grief  on  account  of  your  letter's 
being  delayed  so  long,  have  found  abundant  sympathy  in  Jiiy 
own  feeliuG^s.  I  re^-ret  the  necessity  laid  on  me  of  writino:  at 
this  time,  .  .  but  my  views  and  feelings  when  I  glance  at  the 
urgent  necessities  of  the  case,  impel  me  to  wiite  by  this  first 
mail,  however  briefly.     .     . 

"The  necessity,  in  any  case,  of  a  good  school,  and  of  such 
an  one  substantially  as  we  look  for,  appears  to  me  undoubted. 
I  look  on  it  as  a  calamity  too  great  to  be  measured,  that  this 
mission  did  not,  from  its  origin,  sustain  a  first-rate  school,  one 
wlrich  by  this  time  should  have  come  to  have  its  graduates  in 
])laces  of  trust  and  influence,  not  only  a.s  religious  teachers,  and 
helpers  to  the  missionary- in  his  peculiar  work  of  proclaiming 
the  Gospel,  but  also  as  government  servants,  and  as  school- 
masters, as  doctors  and  as  merchants.  I  would  then  answer 
your  first  question  definitely  in  the  affirmative,  only  omitting 


REV.  a.    ROWEXV   SKCOXO   PLEA   FOR    SCHOOLS.        11  o 

the  word  just  in  tlie  phrase  'just  such  a  school.'  I  confidciU- 
ly  expect  that  the  Bombay  mission  will  one  day  liave  such  an 
institution,  and  believe  that  the  sooner  it  is  undertaken  the 
better — the  better  for  the  cause  of  Christ  here,  and  especially 
the  better  will  it  be  to  render  visible  and  tangible  the  results 
of  the  labors  of  this  mission.  I  do  not  think  our  labors  are 
lost  71010,  but  as  we  are,  their  results  are  and  must  be  lost  sigJit 
of,  or  appear  under  forms  that  ice  can  hardly  recognize  them, 
much  less  map  them  down  for  you  and  for  the  encouragement 
of  the  American  churches.     .     . 

"  I  must  be  very  specific  as  to  the  necessity  of  a  school  in 
Bombay.  A  school  someiohere  will  do  us  little  good.  Eacli 
mission  must  have  a  high-school,  an  acade7ny  perhaps  it  might 
be  called.  I  think  Bombay  should  have  its  colhge  as  well  as 
its  academy.  And  these  should  admit,  up  to  a  certain  limit, 
those  who  wish  to  attend,  though  not  of  our  converts  or  their 
children,  at  least  till  we  have  a  larger  number  of  promising 
youth.  There  is  an  interest  and  a  benefit  in  numbers.  Almost 
no  man,  (and  especially  no  Hindu,)  will  develop  and  grow  in 
a  class  alone  hy  hhnself,  or  with  one  or  two  others,  as  he  will 
in  a  class  of  twenty.  Do  I  open  my  mouth  wide  ?  I  am 
straitened  in  saying  these  things.  I  w^ould  ask  more,  but 
fear  you  would  think  the  plan  too  broad.  If  we  come  up 
towards  the  necessity  of  the  case,  as  seen  in  the  vista  of  the 
future,  we  should  plant  a  Yale  College,  with  its  feeders,  their 
body  of  teachers,  and  \t%  faculty,  its  library,  and  museum,  and 
apparatus,  and  all  its  means  of  influence.     .     . 

"  As  a  means  of  training  our  young  men  for  helpers,  and  aa 
a  means  of  adding  to  their  ranks  from  among  those  who  are  to 
mould  the  mind  of  this  nation,  as  a  means  of  leavening  the 
community  with  truth,  and  as  a  place  for  the  dwarf ed  germ  of 
this  mission  to  root  and  flourish  in,  I  earnestly  look  for  a  first- 
rate  educational  institution  in  Bombay.     I  am  yours  in  Christ, 

"  S.  B.  Faiebank." 

Rev.  George  Bowen's  Second  Plea  for  Schools. 

From  Mr.  Bowen's  second  letter  we  take  only  the  follow- 
ing, namely  : 

"Bombay,  Jan.  13,  1854. 

"My  Dear  Dr.  Anderson:  With  reference  to  yours  of 
Sept.  9th  I  am  glad  to  see  that  you  appreciate  in  some  mea- 


114 


MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


sure  the  difficulty  and  disadvantage  under  which  we  as  a  mis- 
sion labor.  You  say,  'It  is  clear  that  you  ought  not  to  remain 
in  your  present  helpless  state  ^ — in  other  words,  that  some 
means  should  be  found  of  placing  our  mission  on  a  footing 
equal  to  others,  with  respect  to  the  ability  of  presenting  attrac- 
tions to  Christian  young  men  who  are  desirous  of  obtaining  an 
education.  You  are  unwilling,  however,  that  we  should  enter 
into  competition  with  other  educational  institutions,  or  become 
too  prominently  educational.  You  suggest  that  a  seminary  at 
Ahmednuggur  would  answer  the  purpose.  I  do  not  think  this 
would  obviate  the  difficulty.  The  town  of  Bombay  is  swallow- 
ing up  the  presidency.  It  is  the  metropolis  of  India  in  a  diffisr- 
ent  sense  from  that  in  wdiich  our  great  cities  are  metropolises. 
The  current  sets  more  and  more  strongly  hitherward.  I  could 
not  do  more  than  repeat,  so  I  wall  only  refer  to  our  letters, 
written  in  May  and  June  past,  upon  this  subject,  and  upon  the 
strong  desire  possessed  by  the  younger  portion  of  the  com- 
munity for  an  education.  India  is  awaking,  and  like  a  Casper 
Hauser,  needs  to  be  taught  every  thing.  The  younger  men, 
w^ho  are  likely  to  be  withdrawn  from  us,  wish  to  know  not  only 
Western  theology  but  every  thing  Western.  To  run  the  gaunt- 
let of  merely  secular  instruction  in  government  schools,  is  a 
more  dangerous  thing  here  than  it  is  in  our  country. 

"  I  do  not  wonder  that  you  shrink  from  encouraging  us  to 
launch  ourselves  into  an  educational  sea.  You  feel  that  while 
education  is  a  great  want  of  India,  we  are  here  to  supply  a 
greater  want.  But  would  the  Gospel  be  less  preached  under 
the  proposed  circumstances  than  it  is  now  ?  I  do  not  think 
so.     I  believe  the  contrary  w^ould  be  the  case.     .     . 

"  I  continue  to  preach  in  the  streets,  and  wherever  the  peo- 
ple so  congregate  that  I  can  quietly  talk  to  them.  .  .  Occa- 
sionally I  am  maltreated  or  am  mobbed.  But  I  do  not  suffi?r 
my  mind  to  dwell  on  these  occasional  unpleasantnesses.  .  . 
I  have  never  forgotten  what  you  said  to  me  upon  my  embarka- 
tion, namely,  that  I  should  consider  myself  rather  the  servant 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  than  of  the  Board.  Upon  this  I  have 
acted,  feeling  that  the  highest  interests,  indeed  that  the  only  in- 
terest of  the  American  Board,  is  that  I  should  fulfill  my  course, 
and  hear  from  my  heavenly  Master,  '  Hail !  well  done.'  To 
this  end  pray  for  me,  etc.     I  am,  faithfully, 

"  Geo.  Bowen." 


REV.  TI.  BALLAXTINE's   SECOND  PLEA  FOR   SCHOOLS.    115 

This  second  series  of  pleadings  for  their  school,  by  the 
three  Bombay  brethren,  was  sent  to  all  their  brethren  in 
the  Deccan,  as  was  the  first,  and  elicited  a  second  series  of 
remarks,  from  which  we  can  afford  sj^ace  for  only  very  brief 
extracts,  as  follows : 

Kev.  H.  Ballantine's  Second  Plea  for  Schools. 

*'  1.  In  reference  to  the  first  inquiry,  I  have  no  hesitation  in 
saying,  that  were  there  no  educational  institutions  in  operation 
in  the  other  missions  at  Bombay,  it  would,  in  one  point  of  view, 
be  much  more  important  than  it  is  now,  that  our  brethren 
should  have  such  an  institution  as  they  propose.  Were  our 
mission  the  only  mission  in  Bombay,  and  were  the  government 
institutions  there  turning  out  deists  and  infidels  yearly  upon 
the  community,  as  they  now  are,  all  would  acknowledge  the 
necessity  of  a  Christian  institution  to  exert  a  counteracting  in- 
fluence, and  to  raise  up  young  men,  who  should  be  prepared  to 
maintain  the  cause  of  truth  and  religion. 

"  The  want  has  been  to  some  extent  supplied  by  the  educa- 
tional institutions  established  by  the  other  missions.  At  the 
same  time,  the  very  existence  of  those  institutions  renders  it 
veiy  important  that  our  brethren  should  have  their  institution 
also  ;  for  unless  they  do  their  part  with  the  other  missions  in 
counteracting  the  influence  of  the  educated  young  infidels,  and 
in  raising  up  young  men  to  do  battle  for  the  truth,  our  mission 
will  fall  behind  the  other  missions  in  character  and  influence, 
and  gradually  be  more  and  more  shut  out  from  all  access  to 
the  influential  classes  of  the  native  community. 

''  There  is,  then,  an  independent  argument  for  such  an  in- 
stitution as  is  desired  at  Bombay,  apart  from  the  educational 
institutions  of  the  other  missions,  and  there  is  an  additional 
reason,  from  the  very  existence  of  those  institutions,  why  we 
should  have  one  there,  and  this  last  reason  is  perhaps  the  most 
important  one  in  the  present  circumstances  of  our  Bombay 
brethren.  If  other  missionaries  in  Bombay  were  allowed  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  and  the  mouths  of  Americnn  missionaries 
were  shut  by  the  government,  it  would  be  thought  at  once 
that  we  had  not  the  means  of  exerting  our  appropriate  in- 
fluence for  the  diffusion  of  the  truth,  and  therefore  it  would  be 
best  for  us  to  go  somewhere  else.     And  in  very  nmch  the  same 


116 


MISSION    SCUOOLS. 


light  do  I  view  the  question  of  teaching  the  young  men  of 
Bombay. 

"2.  In  reference  to  the  second  mquiry,  I  think  that  we 
onglit  to  be  prepared  to  give  as  good  an  education  to  young 
men  in  Bombay  as  they  can  obtain  in  the  other  mission  insti- 
tutions, so  far  at  least  as  an  academical  and  collegiate  course  is 
concerned.  .  .  I  am,  therefore,  of  opinion,  that  the  breth- 
ren in  Bombay  should  be  allowed  their  institution,  and  it  ap- 
pears to  me  tliat  an  expenditure  of  Rs.  250  a  month,  or  Rs. 
3000  (=some  $1350)  a  year,  (which,  I  liave  no  doubt,  will  be 
sufficient  for  the  support  of  such  a  school,)  could  not  be  in- 
curred for  a  more  important  object.  I  do  not  think  that  there 
would  be  any  necessity  for  purchasing  premises  or  erecting 
buiklings  for  some  time  to  come,  and  perhaps  not  at  all.     .     . 

"  Could  the  Prudential  Committee  see  the  facts  as  we  see 
them  here,  I  have  no  doubt  they  would  urge  us  to  do  far  more 
than  we  are  now  doing  in  this  department  of  labor,  and  would 

I'eadily  grant  us  all  that  we  ask. 

"H.  Ballantine. 
"  AiiMEDNUGGUR,  Jan.  19,  1854." 

Eev.  L.  Bissell's  Second  Plea  for  Schools. 

Mr.  Bissell  indorsed  the  views  of  our  Bombay  brethren 
and  of  Mr.  Ballantine  in  the  following  language  : 

"  I  concur  in  the  statements  of  the  brethren  at  Bombay,  in 
reply  to  Dr.  Anderson's  letter  of  inquiry  respecting  an  educa- 
tional institution,  and  in  the  remarks  of  Mr.  Ballantine.  I  be- 
lieve in  the  validity  of  the  reasons  assigned  for  the  immediate 
establishment  of  such  an  institution  at  Bombay.  A  single  in- 
stitution of  the  kind  at  one  of  the  Mahratta  missions  would 
doubtless  be  a  great  advance  upon  our  present  position,  and 
might  save  us  many  valuable  laborers,  but  only  a  small  part  of 
its  advantages  could  be  received  by  more  than  one  mission. 

Lemuel  Bissell." 


Rev.  A.  Hazen's  Second  Plea  for  Schools. 

"I  concur  in  the  statements  of  the  brethren  at  Bombay  in 
reply  to  the  inquiries  of  Dr.  Anderson,  and  in  the  remarks 
made  by  brother  Ballantine.  In  addition  I  would  remark,  that 
there  seems  to  be  a  local  demand  for  an  educational  institution 


RFA'.  \r.  AVOOirS  SECOND   PLEA  FOR  SCHOOLS.         117 

of  5X  high  order  in  tlio  vicinity  of  tlie  present  operations  of  our 
mission.  None  of  the  existing  institutions  are  in  that  part  of 
the  city.  A  scliool  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  mission  press 
wonkl  afford  advnntagcs  to  a  dense  pojiulation  now  nnsnpplied 
Avith  such  privik'ges.  Tlie  common-schools  in  connection  witli 
our  mission  are  in  tliat  vicinity.  The  Grant  Medical  College 
is  also  near  the  press.  There  should  seem  to  be  room  enough 
in  any  part  of  that  city  of  half-a-million  inhabitants  for  another 
institution,  but  all  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  is  unoccupied 
ground. 

"  I  earnestly  hope  the  requisite  permission  for  opening  a 
high-school  may  be  granted  without  delay. 

"  A.  Hazen." 

The  letters  of  our  Bomba}^  brethren,  in  their  journey 
around  the  missions,  came  next  to  Satara.  Brother  Burs-ess 
had  left  for  America,  but  brother  Wood  was  there  and 
added  a  second  series  of  remarks,  fi'om  which  we  take  ex- 
tracts, as  follows : 

Rev.  W.  Wood's  Second  Plea  for  Scliools. 

*'Much  more  might  be  said  in  urging  the  importance  of  hav- 
inof  a  higher  order  of  schools  than  now  exist  in  the  missions  of 
the  American  Board  in  Western  India.  .  .  With  the  best  re- 
ports we  can  give,  the  ablest,  clearest  statements  we  can  make, 
it  must  be  very  difhcult,  not  to  say  impossible,  for  the  Commit- 
tee at  such  a  distance  to  look  at  things  here  as  they  really 
exist.  When  we  tell  them  that  their  four  AVestern  India  mis- 
sions of  Bombay,  Ahmednuggur,  Satara,  and  Kolapoor  are 
located  in  the  midst  of  a  population  half  as  large  as  that  of  the 
United  States,  do  they  fully  comprehend  the  fact  ?  Do  they  real- 
ize that  Ahmednuggur  is  as  far  from  Bombay  as  Boston  is  from 
Xew-York?  That  Satara  is  as  far  from  Bombay  and  Ahmed- 
nuggur as  Albany  is  from  Xew-York  and  Boston  ?  and  that 
Kolapoor  is  80  miles  south  of  Satara  ?  Do  they  reali/e  that 
while  they  can  travel  from  Boston  to  ISTew-York  or  Albany  in 
ten  hours,  it  takes  us  as  many  days  to  travel  the  same  distance  ? 
Do  they  realize  that  the  population  of  the  Satara  state  alone 
(my  field!)  exceeds  the  population  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Vermont  ?     Certainlv  we  can  not  believe  that  thev  do 


118  ^  MISSION   SCHOOLvS. 

when  they  gravely  ask  the  question,  if  one  school  located  at 
A.hmedmiggur  loill  not  ansioer  for  us  all.  Well  has  brother 
Hume  remarked  that  a  school  at  Ahmednuggur  would  be  of 
little  use  to  the  mission  at  Bombay ;  and  we  may  with  equal 
propriety  add,  vice  versa.,  a  school  in  Bombay  would  be  of  little 
use  to  any  of  the  other  missions  in  the  Deccan. 

"  But  let  us  come  to  a  few  tacts.  The  brethren  have  said, 
and  with  truth,  that  the  rising  generation  of  this  land,  educated 
in  the  Government  schools,  are  educated  infidels.  The  highest 
Government  educational  institutions  in  Western  India,  are  the 
Elphinstone  College  in  Bombay,  and  the  Poona  College  in 
Poona.  These  institutions  furnish  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  teachers 
of  the  government  schools  scattered  throughout  the  land. 
And,  so  far  as  I  know,  these  teachers  are  thoroughly  infidel  in 
sentiment ;  and  they  are  assiduous  in  their  efforts  to  instill  their 
infidel  sentiments  into  the  minds  of  their  pupils.  Such  a 
teacher  was  appointed  at  the  head  of  the  Government  school 
in  Satara,  a  little  more  than  a  year  ago,  and  as  a  fruit  of  his 
efforts,  in  less  than  six  months  the  young  men  of  his  school 
came  into  our  meetings  for  religious  discussion,  and  boldly  af- 
firmed that  '  there  is  no  God.'  Just  such  men  are  being 
scattered  all  about  the  country,  filling  all  the  oflices  of  govern- 
ment. Such  a  man  is  at  Wai,  a  large  town  of  10,000  souls  to 
the  northwest  of  this.  He  is  well  educated,  well  read  in  infi- 
del books,  and  has  made  his  boast  of  turning  away  Christians 
from  the  faith,  and  of  his  intentions  of  turning  away  others. 
Another  such  man  is  at  Kurrad,  30  miles  to  the  south  of  this, 
with  a  population  of  10,000.  And  such  are  scattered  about  in 
all  the  larger  towns.  .  .  They  gather  around  them  the  youth, 
and  instill  their  infidel  sentiments  into  their  minds.  And  what 
have  we  to  oppose  this  tide  of  influence  ?  Scarcely  nothing. 
True  we  have  books.  We  have  schools  of  a  certain  kind.  We 
preach  on  the  Sabbath,  and  on  week-days.  We  make  tours  in 
the  villages.  This  is  all  well ;  but  this  is  not  all  we  want.  We 
want  another  weapon  of  attack ;  and  I  believe  each  mission 
must  have  it  to  fight  successfully.  That  weapon  is  a  good 
school.  With  such  a  school  in  active  operation,  I  should  ex- 
pect during  my  missionary  life  to  effect  fourfold  more  than 
without  one.  Wm.  Wood. 

*'  Satara,  January  24,  1854." 


RKV.  R.  G.  WILDER'S   SECOND   PLEA   FOR   SCTIOOT.S.    119 

What  peculiar  force  do  these  last  words  gatlier  from  the 
subsequent  history  of  that  mission  ?  Only  one  or  two  con- 
verts gathered  in  for  six  years,  and  from  the  lowest  caste. 

Rev.  R,  G.  "Wilder's  Second  Plea  for  Schools. 

These  letters  and  remarks  of  all  the  brethren  came  last  of 
all  to  me  at  Kolapoor,  and  again  I  joined  my  feeble  testi- 
mony, with  that  of  the  other  brethren,  in  favor  of  the  school 
for  which  they  were  pleading.  My  views  will  be  suflQ.ciently 
understood  from  the  following  brief  extracts : 

"  I  have  perused  these  papers  with  interest,  and  am  glad  to 
see  the  necessity  of  a  good  institution  in  connection  witli  eac/i 
of  our  missions  so  generally  conceded  and  ably  urged.  I  need 
not  repeat  my  conviction,  that  I  regard  it  the  wisest  policy  to 
have  an  educational  institution  of  high  character,  in  which  Eno-- 
lish  shall  be  taught  to  some  extent,  connected  with  each  and  all 
our  Mahratta  missions /ro??i  their  origin.     .     . 

"  I  fully  concur  in  the  views  expressed,  that  one  institution 
can  not  supply  the  wants  of  all  our  Mahratta  missions.  All  the 
interests  involved,  and  more  especially  all  past  experience^  is 
sternly  opposed  to  such  an  arrangement. 

"  The  Prudential  Committee  can  have  little  idea  of  the  pains- 
taking, strength-consuming  labor  involved  in  getting  up  and 
sustaining  such  institutions  as  we  ask  for,  or  they  would  never 
subject  their  missionaries  to  the  painful  necessity  of  pleading 
for  them  in  this  manner.  It  is  really  pleading  for  permission 
to  engage  in  the  most  trying,  toilsome,  life-consuming  labor, 
only  because  of  our  thorough  conviction  that  it  is  our  most 
effective  means  of  bringing  these  precious  souls  to  a  knowledge 
and  belief  of  the  truth." 

Here  we  have  extracts  from  a  second  series  of  arguments 
and  pleadings  from  every  American  missionary  then  in  West- 
ern India,  showing  their  deep,  unanimous,  and  abiding  con- 
victions in  favor  of  schools,  and  of  this  particular  institution. 

Commencement  and  Success  of  the  Institution. 

After  forwarding  these  pleadings  to  Boston,  and  waiting 
s^ome  four  or  five  months  longer  for  a  reply,  the  Bombay 


120  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

brethren,  with  the  cordial  approval  of  those  at  Ahmedniig- 
gur,  decided  that  then  was  the  most  favorable  time  to  com 
meiice  the  Institution,  and  to  wait  no  longer.  Accordingly, 
the  school  was  opened,  and  to  their  great  gratification,  in 
less  than  two  months,  it  gathered  in  150  yomig  men  of  the 
very  class  they  desired  to  bring  under  their  teaching  and  in- 
fluence. The  missionaries  thanked  God  and  took  courage — 
their  hearts  animated  with  fresh  hopes  for  the  success  of 
their  labors. 

The  number  soon  increased  to  175,  who  were  allowed  to 
study  English;  and  the  vernacular  department,  in.  which 
there  was  no  English  allowed,  embraced  100  more.  The 
time  of  special  favor  to  this  mission  seemed  to  have  come. 

Result  of  these  Second  Pleas  in  Boston. 

But  how  were  these  repeated  and  earnest  arguments  and 
pleadings  of  the  missionaries  received  in  Boston  ?  Did  the 
Secretary  and  Committee  feel  that  they  ought  not  and  could 
not  oppose  the  united  views  and  earnest  convictions  of  all 
their  missionaries,  and  cheerfully  grant  their  request  ?  Far 
otherwise.     Their  brief  reply,  dated  April  10th,  1854,  says: 

"  The  very  grave  import  of  your  statements  .  .  has  decided 
the  minds  of  the  Prudential  Committee  in  favor  of  sending  a 
Deputation  to  India.  .  .  I  ought  to  say  that  I  have  no  expecta- 
tion whatever,  that  the  Board  and  the  churches  of  this  country 
will  be  Avilling  to  prosecute  missions  in  India,  on  Avhat  Ave  un- 
derstand to  be  the  views  of  our  friend  Dr.  Duft',"  etc. 

That  the  Secretary  and  Committee  felt  the  force  of  our 
united,  earnest,  and  repeated  arguments  and  appeals,  is  suf- 
ficiently evident  from  the  Eeport  of  the  Deputation.  In 
that,  it  is  stated,  page  5  :  "  They  did  not  know  what  to  do  ; 
nor  did  it  seem  possible  to  solve  the  problem  except  on  the 
ground." 

Whence  arose  this  embarrassment?  Was  it  from  any 
recusancy  on  the  part  of  the  missionaries  ?  This  is  impossi- 
ble, for  in  this  matter  of  schools,  as  in  all  others,  they  had 


HOW   THE   0BJP:CT   WAS    EFFH'TKI).  121 

ever  shown  themselves  ready  to  obey  instructions,  however 
much  against  their  convictions. 

AVas  there  any  doubt  what  tlie  combined  experience,  con- 
victions, and  unbiased  judgments  of  the  missionaries  dic- 
tated in  the  present  instance  ?  This  is  not  possible,  for  it 
Avas  the  letters  and  arguments  of  all  the  Bombay  brethren 
united,  and  these  warmly  seconded  by  every  other  American 
missionary  in  Western  India,  which  so  embarrassed  the 
Committee.  Was  it  not  safe  to  leave  such  a  question  to  so 
large  a  body  of  missionaries  on  the  ground,  and  knowing  all 
the  circumstances  of  the  case?  (see  Dr.  Anderson's  views, 
page  do.)  And  if  these  unbiased  convictions  of  the  mis- 
sionaries were  to  be  set  aside  and  the  Institution  disallowed, 
if  this  was  fully  decided  upon,  then  what  was  the  necessity 
of  a  Deputation  at  all  ?  Wh^-  not  have  sent  by  letter  the- 
frank  disapproval  of  the  Committee — based  either  on  their 
judgment  merely,  or  on  the  want  of  funds?  If  the  latter 
was  the  true  reason,  would  not  the  missionaries  have  felt  it 
more  forcibly  if  sent  hy  Mk,r  at  the  expense  of  80  cents^  than 
ichen  sent  hy  a  Deputation  at  the  expense  of  ten  or  twelve  thou- 
sand dollars  f  And  who  can  doubt  that  they  would  have 
yielded  to  the  Committee  no  less  submissively  ? 

The  result  would  have  been  the  same  if  the  refusal  of  the 
Committee  had  been  sent  by  letter.  And  it  is  respectfully 
submitted,  if  the  avowed  cause  of  the  Deputation  to  India  is 
not  an  unhappy  one?  Taking  the  facts  given  in  their  Ee- 
])Oi*t,  and  the  reason  there  assigned  for  their  visit,  and  how 
is  it  possible  to  avoid  the  plain  issue  that  the  Deputation 
went  to  India  and  managed  to  oppose  a  measure  which  had 
been  urged  upon  the  Committee  in  voluminous  and  repeated 
letters,  with  many  and  strong  arguments,  from  every  one  of 
their  missionaries  then  in  Western  India? 

How  did  the  Deputation  effect  their  Object  P 

The  impression  has  ^been  studiously  and  widely  circulated 
among  the  patrons  of  the  Board,  that  all  action  and  changes 
effected,  while  the  Deputation  was  in  India,  were  effected, 
not  by  the  Deputation,  but  by  the  spontaneous  votes  of  the. 

6 


122  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

missionaries.  Is  this  impression  correct  ?  Let  us  examine 
this  point.  The  quotations  already  given  from  the  two 
series  of  letters  from  all  the  missionaries,  represent  their  ex- 
perience and  convictions  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  schools. 
The  quotations  from  Dr.  Anderson  are  equally  conclusive 
that  his  views  were  directly  opposed  to  the  convictions  of  the 
missionaries ;  and  that  he  felt  embarrassed  by  them  to  such 
an  extent,  that  he  made  the  journey  to  India  on  purpose  to 
oppose  and  thwart  their  views  there  "  on  the  ground." 

1  know  it  has  been  affirmed  that  the  Deputation  went  out 
with  no  settled  views  or  theories,  and  only  to  see  what  was 
best  to  be  done.  But  this  statement  is  opposed  to  the  p]ain 
facts  of  the  case.  The  emergency  which  occasioned  the 
Deputation  contradicts  this  statement.  The  terms  of  their 
instructions  show  clearly  a  wish  and  purpose  '*  to  dispense 
with  the  pioneering  and  preparatory  influence  of  schools, 
and  especially  of  schools  in  which  the  use  of  the  English 
language  is  a  prominent  and  characteristic  feature."  Those 
instructions  expressly  say : 

"  It  is  the  strong  persuasion  of  the  Prudential  Committee, 
that  no  school  can  properly  be  sustained  by  the  funds  of  the 
Board,  in  which  the  vernacular  language  is  not  the  grand 
medium  of  instruction." 

It  is  unmistakable,  then,  that  the  Deputation  went  to 
India  with  a  "settled  theory,"  and  a  definite  object  in  view; 
and  that  object  was  to  subvert  the  united  and  repeatedly 
expressed  views  of  all  their  missionaries  there  on  the  ground. 
How  did  they  accomplish  this  object  ? 

Absolute  Authority  of  the  Deputation. 

The  first  instrument  employed  in  accomplishing  this 
object  is  found  in  their  Instructions.  The  Deputation  was 
clothed  by  the  Prudential  Committee  ,"  with  full  power  and 
authority  "to  do  what  they  should  think  best,  irrespective 
of  the  experience  and  convictions  of  any  or  all  their  mis- 
sionaries in  the  field.  Every  man  of  us  knew  that  he  could 
not  oppose  such  "full  power  and  authority  "  without  incur- 


GENERAL   MEETING   AT  AHMEDNUGGUR.  123 

ring  displeasure.  It  became  the  part  of  prudence  either  to 
yield  our  convictions  entirely,  or  hold  them  in  strict  abey- 
ance to  this  authority,  or  resign  our  connection  with  the 
Board.  There  seemed  no  other  alternative,  and  each  of 
these  three  alternatives  was  ultimately  taken  by  one  oT  more 
of  our  number,  according  to  each  man's  views  of  prudence 
and  duty.  This  absolute  authority,  committed  to  the  Depu- 
tation, speaks  for  itself  Does  it  not  show  unmistakably 
the  Committee's  estimate  of  the  emergency  of  the  case,  and 
also  the  object  which  they  had  in  view? 

This  absolute  aidhoritij  w^as  the  first  instrument  brought  to 
bear  in  accomplishing  the  object  of  the  Deputation. 

General  Meeting  at  Ahmednuggur. 

The  second  st^p  in  this  process  was  to  secure  a  general 
meeting  of  all  the  missionaries.     A  call  was  issued,  and  we 
all  met  at  Ahmednuggur,  Dec.  6,  1854,  and  continued  ouiSt 
sessions  till  Dec.  26— twenty-one  days. 

It  is  an  item  worth  mentioning  here,  that  three  of  our 
strongest  men,  namely,  Rev.  Messrs.  Allen,  Hume  and  Bur- 
gess, had  left  the  missions  just  before  the  coming  of  the 
Deputation.  The  convictions  of  all  three  of  these  brethren 
in  favor  of  the  schools  were  deep  and  abiding,  and  there  is 
good  reason  to  believe  they  would  not  have  changed  them 
under  any  pressure.  Brother  Hume  died  on  his  voyage 
liome,  and  the  other  two  retain  their  convictions  unchanged. 

And  let  me  here  guard  against  an  impression  that  such  an 
interview  w^ith  a  deputation  of  our  brethren  from  America, 
on  common  terms  of  Christian  brotherhood^  would  not  always 
be  most  welcome  to  every  missionary.  There  is  not  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  American  Board  in  India  who  w^ould  not  look 
forward  to  such  a  meeting  with  joy,  and  count  its  op]:)ortu- 
nities  for  social  and  religious  intercourse  as  among  the 
choicest  seasons  of  Christian  fellow^ship  on  earth.  But  for 
such  a  blessed  result  this  "  full  power  and  authority  "  must 
be  left  out  of  the  instructions  ;  the  parity  of  God's  ministers 
and  the  rights  of  conscience  must  be  recognized. 

The  special  object  of  this  general  meeting  at  Ahmednug- 


124  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

gur  was  not  the  communion  of  saints,  nor  to  take  friendly 
counsel  from  eacli  other  in  regard  to  the  great  work  of  con- 
verting the  heathen.  Its  true  object  was  to  secure  action  by 
the  missionaries  themselves^  luhich  should  subvert  their  own  views 
and  convictions^  previously  recorded. 

The  Deputation  have  taken  to  themselves  credit  for  not 
having  voted  in  this  meeting,  and  urged  this  fact  to  show 
that  the  action  was  wholly  by  the  missionaries.  Had  they 
placed  themselves  on  common  ground,  and  been  satisfied  to 
urge  their  arguments  and  cast  their  votes  with  the  rest  of 
us,  well  indeed  would  it  have  been  for  us  and  for  the  cause. 
But  they  well  understood  that  two  votes  would  be  of  little 
avail  against  nine.  They  rightly  judged  that  their  author- 
ity would  effect  more  than  their  votes.  Hence  the  plan  for 
bringing  the  missionaries  themselves  to  take  action  right  in 
the  teeth  of  their  own  experience  and  practice,  and  the  argu- 
ments and  convictions  they  had  so  persistently  and  repeat- 
edly urged  with  the  Committee.  Did  they  succeed  in  this  ? 
Let  us  see. 

Dr.  Anderson's  Address  at  the  Opening  Session. 

The  third  step  in  this  process  was  the  written  address  of 
Dr.  Anderson  at  the  beo-inninsr  of  our  meetino^.  He  first 
had  his  instructions  read,  showing  clearly  his  purpose  to 
abolish  the  schools,  and  their  "full  power  and  authority" 
to  execute  this  purpose.  Then  came  an  exposition  of  the 
policy  of  the  Board — a  document  which  occupied  Dr.  An- 
derson  fifty  minutes  in  the  reading.  This  document  was  in 
the  terms  of  positive  and  absolute  authority,  purporting  to 
utter  the  fixed  views  and  principles  of  the  Committee,  which 
must  be  carried  into  efiect.  This  document  was  intended  to 
give  character,  and  did  give  charactei",  to  all  the  doings  of 
the  meeting.  This  document  has  never  been  published,  and 
Dr.  Anderson  says  it  never  shall  be.  AVe  asked  for  a  copy 
of  it  to  put  on  the  records  of  the  meeting,  but  were  refused. 
I  asked  Dr.  A.  for  it  myself  only  a  short  time  ago,  and  was 
again  refused,  with  the  remark  added  :  "/«!  was  never  meant 
to  be  published,  and  never  iviU  he.'''' 

W.  "  But  why  not.  Dr.  Anderson  ?     Are  you  unwilling 


ADDRESS   AT   THE   OPENING   SESSION".  125 

the  churches  should  know  what  means  you  used  to  make 
your  influence  felt  in  securing  that  action  ?" 

Dr.  A.  *'  I  expect  to  liave  influence  when  I  visit  the  mis- 
sions." 

W.  "Yes,  you  ought  to  have.  But  ought  not  your  re- 
sponsihility  to  be  coequal  with  your  influence  T'^ 

Dr.  A.   "What  do  you  mean  ?" 

W.  "  I  mean  just  what  mv  question  implies.  You  ought 
to  be  wiUing  to  let  the  public  and  the  patrons  of  the  Board 
read  that  document,  and  be  responsible  to  them  for  just  the 
amount  of  influence  you  brought  to  bear  on  the  mission- 
aries." 

Dr.  A.  "  That  document  had  its  use  and  importance  at 
the  time;  but  the  public  has  no  right  to  it.  One  brother 
in  the  Madura  mission  borrowed  it  to  look  over,  and  took 
the  liberty  to  copy  an  extract,  but  I  wouldn't  let  him  keep 
the  extract  lie  had  copied.  It  was  never  meant  for  the 
public." 

W.  "  How  can  you  reconcile  your  course  in  that  matter 
witli  3'our  representation  to  the  public  that  the  action  of  the 
missionaries  was  unconstrained  and  free  ?" 

Dr.  A.  "  The  Board  sent  me  to  India  that  I  might  have 
influence.  It  was  because  the  views  of  the  missionaries 
were  wrong,  that  a  deputation  was  needed.  We  went  on 
purpose  to  change  their  views." 

W.  "  Then  wh}^  not  let  the  churches  and  friends  of  the 
Board  know  just  how  great  youi  influence  was,  and  how 
you  managed  to  secure  it  ?" 

Dr.  A.  "  That  document  will  never  be  published." 

I  will  only  add,  a  written  application  to  the  Prudential 
Committee  has  failed  to  elicit  the  document  in  question,  and 
it  is  proper  that  the  churches  and  pastors  should  know  that 
such  a  document  was  read  by  Dr.  Anderson  at  the  opening 
of  our  meeting,  and  its  pressure  brought  to  bear  in  securing 
action — a  document  which  has  been  kept  from  the  public  to 
the  present  time,  not  even  a  copied  extract  of  it  being  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  hands  of  a  missionary.  The  moral  signifi- 
cance of  this  fact  I  leave  to  the  friends  of  the  Board. 


126  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

I  could  put  on  record  some  of  the  sentiments  of  this  docu- 
ment, repeated  in  the  subsequent  declarations  of  Dr.  Ander- 
son ;  for  instance — "  If  you  can't  carry  on  your  operations 
without  such  schools  as  you  ask  for,  then  we  will  give  up 
our  missions  in  Western  India,  and  send  our  men  and  money 
to  China,  or  some  other  field :"  but  the  studious  care  and 
fixed  purpose  with  which  that  document  is  withheld  even 
from  the  missionaries,  is  sufiiciently  significant. 

Manner  in  -which.  Action  was  secured. 

The  plan  adopted  for  securing  the  action  of  the  mission- 
aries was  on  this  wise.  A  specified  subject  was  called  up 
and  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  committee.  The  chairman  of 
said  committee  was  required  to  bring  in  a  written  report. 
The  chairman  of  the  meetino;  throuo-h  all  its  sessions  was 
brother  Ballantine,  who  had  plead  so  earnestly  for  schools, 
and  especially  for  the  proposed  high-school,  as  vital  to  the 
very  existence  of  the  Bombay  mission.  But  we  soon  found, 
to  our  surprise,  that  he  ignored  his  deep  and  repeated  con- 
victions, and  at  once  adopted  the  views  of  the  Deputation. 
Although  he  had  again  and  again  declared  his  belief  "  that 
that  mission  must  become  extinct,  unless  there  be  a  change 
of  mission  polic}^,  and  the  Committee  grant  them  the  high- 
school  they  ask  ;"  although  he  had  declared,  "  It  is  the  only 
v>^a3^  tl'^ej  can  obtain  an  audience,"  yet  now  he  at  once  joins 
the  Deputation  and  helps  to  abolish  it.  It  is  an  item  of  some 
sio'nificance  that  this  brother  was  chairman  of  our  meetinor, 
and  had  the  appointment  of  the  committees. 

In  case  of  each  subject  reported  upon,  there  was  a  discus- 
sion first,  which  put  the  writer  thereof  in  full  possession 
again  of  the  views  of  Dr.  Anderson,  and  in  preparing  his 
report  he  had  before  him  tiuo  certain  facts :  1.  That  the  views 
of  the  Deputation  must,  and  ivould  he  insisted  on  and  carried 
Old,  whether  he  embodied  them  or  not.  2.  That  if  he  did 
not  embody  them,  he  would  come  under  disfavor. 

If  any  one  feels  inclined  to  blame  the  missionaries  for  so 
readily  changing  the  views  and  convictions  so  earnestly  and 
repeatedly  avowed  and  placed  on  record,  let  him  bear  in 


REPORT   ON   THE   BOMBAY    INSTITUTION.  127 

mind  that  it  is  no  trifling  matter  to  incur  the  displeasure  of 
one  or  two  men  who  have  tlie  character,  happiness  and  use- 
fuhiess,  not  only  of  yourself,  but  of  your  wife  and  children, 
greatly  in  their  keeping.  Every  missionary  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  knows  that  if  he  wants  to  visit  his  native  land, 
the  favor  must  come  through  the  Secretary.  If  he  wants 
an  extra  grant  of  money,  he  must  apply  to  Dr.  A.  If  he 
wants  his  children,  far  away  from  him  in  America,  cared 
and  provided  for,  it  is  all  important  that  he  be  on  good 
terms  with  Dr.  A.  If  he  wishes  to  stand  fair  in  reputation 
before  the  churches  at  home,  he  must  beware  of  any  whis- 
perings from  the  Mission-House  in  Boston  that  he  is  "  an 
impracticable  man." 

But  all  these  considerations  failed  to  secure,  on  first  trial, 
such  reports  as  were  desired.  Take,  for  instance,  the  report 
on  this  High-School  at  Bombay.  It  was  known  to  us  all 
that  our  convictions  and  pleadings  for  it  had  brought  the 
Deputation  to  India ;  and  that  they  had  come  with  a  fixed 
purpose  to  suppress  it.  After  discussion,  the  subject  was 
referred  to  Rev.  Messrs.  Bowen  and  Fairbank,  as  a  commit- 
tee, to  draw  up  a  report  which  should  disallow  that  High- 
School. 

Report  of  Mr.  Bowen  on  the  Bombay  Institution. 

Rev.  Geo.  Bowen  was  the  chairman  of  this  committee, 
and  prepared  the  report,  in  substance  as  follows  : 

"  The  English  school  in  connection  with  the  American  mis- 
sion  in  Bombay  was  opened  about  the  1st  of  June  last.  It  is 
known  as  the  American  Mission  Institution.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  present  month  (Dec.)  there  were  about  1*75  pupils 
in  it,  chiefly  Hindus;  .  .  .  Instruction  is  given  in  the 
word  of  God,  daily,  to  all  classes,  by  the  missionary  and  the 
three  assistants.     .     ... 

"  In  the  upper  classes,  English  is  the  principal  medium  of 
instruction.     In  the  lower  classes  the  Marathi. 

"  Connected  with  the  school  are  two  vernacular  schools,  in 
which  no  Enorlish  is  tauijht.     In  these  are  about  100  scholars. 

"  The  reasons  which  led  to  the  establishment  of  this  school, 
are  the  followinij : 


128  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

"  1.  A  very  great  desire  has  sprung  up  among  the  natives  of 
this  country  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  EngHsh  language, 
literature  and  science.  That  which  sprang  up  in  Europe,  just 
before  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation,  for  the  classical  tongues 
and  classical  lore,  was  not  more  eager  or  more  general.  We 
need  not  now  inquire  minutely  into  tlie  origin  of  this  desire  for 
English  learning  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  this  presidency. 
Neither  need  we  discuss  the  propriety  or  otherwise  of  such  a 
desire.  We  may  just  remark  that  there  is  no  mystery  about 
its  existence.  It  is  perfectly  natural  under  the  circumstances. 
Hindus  find  themselves  brought,  in  the  providence  of  God, 
into  contact  with  a  race  who  exlnbit  not  only  great  military 
superiority,  but  a  wisdom  and  ingenuity,  an  acquaintance  with 
imdreamt  of  powers  of  nature,  an  extent  of  knowledge,  a  com- 
mand of  resources,  a  height  of  civilization,  immeasurably  above 
any  thing  that  they  were  ever  in  contact  with  before.  One  of  two 
things  could  not  but  result  from  a  meeting  of  two  races  so  A^ery 
different.  Either  the  inferior  race  must  become  disheartened 
and  paralyzed  by  the  thought  of  the  unapproachable  superior- 
ity of  the  other,  lose  its  energy  and  perhaps  dwindle  away  as 
the  aborisrines  of  America  and  the  natives  of  the  Pacific  Islands 
are  doing;  or  it  must  be  stimulated  into  a  desire  to  obtain 
those  things  which  seem  to  be  most  intimately  connected  with 
the  superiority  of  the  other  race.  The  latter  is  the  case  in 
India.  The  inhabitants  of  this  country  admit  the  fact  of  their 
inferiority  in  the  scale  of  civilization,  but  are  not  disposed  to 
submit  to  it  as  a  thing  that  must  inevitably  continue  to  be. 
They  have  been  seized  with  the  spirit  of  progress.  This  mani- 
fests itself,  of  course,  more  among  some  classes  than  others ; 
more  in  the  cities  than  in  the  interior  ;  more  among  the  young 
than  the  aged ;  more  among  the  middling  and  higher  castes, 
than  among  those  which  are  reputed  the  lowest. 

"  What  we  make  use  of  in  our  argument  is  the  simple  fact. 
The  desire  exists.  It  will  not  be  suppressed.  It  is  clearly 
destined  to  wax  stronger  and  stronger.  It  just  as  much  de- 
mands our  attention  as  any  other  fact  in  the  providence  of 
God.  The  young  men  of  Bombay  are  ready  to  flock  to  educa- 
tional institutions  where  they  may  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the 
English  language  and  the  things  connected  with  it ;  and  they 
are  not  deterred  by  the  fact  that  the  word  of  God  is  there 
taught  and  the  claims  of  Christianity  urged  upon  them.     Shall 


HOW  WAS   THE   KEPORT   ACCEPTED?  129 

the  missionary  avail  himself  of  this  readiness  on  their  part,  and 
embrace  this  as  one  mode  of  fulfilling  the  command  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature  ?" 

Bat  I  need  not  reproduce  this  able  report.  Mr.  Bowen 
condensed,  as  well  as  he  could  in  brief  space,  the  arguments 
for  this  school  already  brought  to  view  in  the  pleadings  of 
all  the  missionaries,  and  closed  his  report  without  one  word 
to  prepare  the  way  for  its  abandonment. 

Report  committed  to  another  Chairman  and  changed  to  suit  the 

Deputation. 

Of  course  Mr.  B.'s  report  was  not  satisfactory  to  the 
Deputation.  A  significant  pause  ensued.  Each  looked  at 
the  others.     Dr.  Anderson  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence. 

"Oh!  that  won't  do — that  won't  do.  You  have  not  em- 
bodied our  views  at  all." 

Mr.  Bowen  mildly  but  firmly  replied : 

"  Brethren  :  I  know  this  is  not  what  is  wanted.  But  these  are 
my  honest  views,  and  such  as  we  have  all  put  on  record  in 
pleading  for  this  Institution.  It  is  utterly  impossible  for  me  to 
embody  the  views  of  the  Deputation  and  call  them  mine ;  but 
there  is  one  thing  you  can  do — I  will  resign  as  chairman  of  the 
committee,  and  you  can  put  in  some  other  brother,  who  will 
embody  the  views  of  the  Deputation." 

Brother  Bissell  was  accordingly  made  chairman  of  said 
committee,  and  embodied  the  views  which  Mr.  Bowen's  con- 
science forbade  him  to  do.  Brother  Bissell's  previous  views 
will  be  remembered,  (p.  10-i.)  How  ably  he  now  represent- 
ed the  views  of  the  Secretarj^  may  be  seen  from  his  report  as 
published  by  the  Deputation. 

How  was  the  Report  Accepted  ? 

But  if  the  report  was  against  the  honest  convictions  of 
the  missionaries,  how  came  they  to  accept  it  ? 

The  Rev.  Myron  Winslow,  D.D.,  of  Madras,  writes: 
'•  The  Deputation,  acting  under  instructions,  no  doubt  en- 
6^^ 


180  :\tTSSION    SCHOOLS. 

lightened  the  mission  in  regard  to  the  general  policy  and 
plans  of  the  Board  as  nnfavorable  to  such  a  school,  and  this 
must  have  greatly  aided  the  decision."  Not  a  bad  guess 
for  one  at  Dr.  Yf inslow's  distance  from  the  scene. 

The  manner  in  which  the  views  of  the  Deputation  came 
into  the  report  has  been  stated  above.  When  it  was  ready, 
the  question  was  put  as  to  its  acceptance. 

I  did  not  retain  a  memorandum  of  the  votes  on  this  ques- 
tion, but  a  large  majority,  I  think,  did  not  vote  at  all.  Hav- 
ing fully  expressed  their  views  against  the  report,  they  now 
waived  their  privilege  of  voting,  in  deference  to  the  Depu- 
tation. But  the  report  ivas  accepted.  To  reconcile  this  ac- 
tion with  those  spirit-stirring  appeals  and  arguments  which 
those  same  brethren  had  drawn  up  and  sent  to  Boston  in 
favor  of  this  very  school,  only  a  few  months  before — hie  la- 
hor^  hoc  opus  est. 

Some  may  wonder  that  the  brethren  in  the  opposition 
were  not  more  careful  to  have  their  negative  votes  recorded. 
On  this  point  the  following  considerations  may  be  men* 
tioned  : 

1.  After  a  faithful  exposition  of  views  and  arguments, 
each  felt,  I  have  done  my  duty.  The  Deputation  know  my 
honest  convictions,  and  if  they  press  their  views  against  the 
known  experience  and  convictions  of  my  whole  missionary 
life,  they  must  be  responsible.  My  duty  and  responsibility 
cease  with  my  avowed  convictions  and  arguments. 

2.  Only  two  of  all  our  number  had  an}' j^erso/irzZ  interest 
and  connection  with  the  Bombay,  institution.  The  rest,  in 
all  their  pleadings,  had  acted  most  disinterestedly,  and  had 
opposed  their  views  to  those  of  the  Secretary  most  reluct- 
antly, and  with  feelings  of  much  pain  and  regret  that  such 
a  necessity  had  arisen.  Is  it  strange  if  some  felt,  Why  risk 
displeasure  which  may  afifect  my  happiness  and  usefulness, 
by  pressing  my  views  so  far  as  to  vote,  and  especiallv  when 
the  question  involved  does  not  affect  my  own  labors  ? 

3.  It  was  an  item  of  no  little  importance  to  most  of  us 
that  the  Deputation  assured  us  again  and  again,  that  our  re- 
ports would  have  no  authority.  I  did  not  suppose  they  were 
to  be  iDvinted  even,  and  no  intimation  of  this  kind  was  piven 


EMPLOYMENT   OF   HEATHEN   TEACHERS.  131 

until  near  the  close  of  our  sessions.  Other  brethren  have 
told  me  of  their  surprise  at  this  result,  and  at  the  use  sub- 
sequently made  of  these  reports.  I  think  none  of  us  had 
any  idea  that  there  was  a  purpose  ultimately  to  indorse 
them  and  invest  them  with  the  authority  of  the  Prudential 
Committee.  On  this  last  point,  however,  I  speak  only  for 
myself  and  some  six  of  my  associates,  who  unhesitatingly 
expressed  their  surpiise  as  soon  as  the  result  was  known. 

But  all  the  brethren  will  remember  the  frequency  and 
emphasis  with  which  the  Secretary  assured  us  that  our  re- 
ports would  have  no  authority. 

These  considerations  may  not  be  sufficient  to  justify  the 
brethren  in  the  opposition  for  not  recording  their  negative 
votes,  but,  probably,  most  amiable  men,  longing  for  Christ- 
ian harmony,  would  have  felt  their  influence,  and  waived 
the  privilege  of  voting,  as  they  did. 

Votes  for  the  Employment  of  "  Heathen  Teachers.'* 

And  yet,  even  witli  these  considerations  pressing  upon 
our  minds,  we  sometimes  did  feel  constrained  to  record  our 
votes  against  the  wishes  of  the  Secretary-.  On  the  subject 
of  employing  ^^  heathen  teachers,^^  after  discussion,  in  w^hicb 
the  Deputation  always  engaged  without  limitation,  when 
tlie  question  was  finally  put  to  vote  :  ''Is  it  ivell  to  employ 
heathen  teachers  V 

Two  brethren,  Messrs.  Hazen  and  Hunger,  said :  ''  iVb." 
The  remaining  seven  of  us  said  :  "  YesT 

And  yet,  with  these  votes  on  record,  brother  Hazen  drew 
up  his  report  on  this  subject,  in  accordance  with  the  wishes 
of  the  Deputation,  and  the  next  morning  the  Secretary  read 
a  brief  statement,  saying  that  no  schools  luith  heathen  teachers 
loill  he  any  longer  tolerated  in  any  of  the  missions  !  The  inter- 
dict was  unqualified,  allowing  not  one  single  exception. 

But  this  question  is  introduced  here  only  to  show  the 
manner  in  which  action  was  secured.  It  is  time  that  we 
return  to  the  history  of  the  Bombay  mission  and  its  high- 
school. 


132  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 


Suppression  of  the  Bombay  Institution. 

After  brotlier  Bissell  bad  embodied  the  views  of  tbe  Dep- 
utation, as  above  mentioDcd,  and  bis  report  bad  been  accept- 
ed bj  the  assent  of  a  few,  the  rest  remaining  silent,  Dr.  An- 
derson took  action,  and  tbe  days  of  this  promising  institution 
were  numbered.  He  allowed  it  to  complete  one  year  of  its 
existence,  and  it  then  ceased  to  be.  Thus  issued  tbe  earn- 
est and  repeated  arguments  and  pleadings  of  every  mission- 
ary in  bebalf  of  tbis  institution ! 

Can  we  wonder  tbat  tbe  special  committee  on  this  mission, 
tbe  next  year,  1856,  spoke  of  the  "peculiar  embarrassments 
under  wbicb  it  bad  labored,"  and  reported  that  "  the  condi- 
tion of  tbe  Bombay  mission  is  less  encouraging  tban  ^yo 
sbould  all  desire"  ? 

Its  present  condition  is  far  from  encouraging.  Not  only 
was  tbis  Englisb  institution  disbanded,  by  tbe  action  of  the 
Deputation,  but  its  gMs^  boarding-school^  and  tbe  day-schools 
taught  by  beatben  teacbers,  were  also  interdicted.  Tbeir 
hundreds  of  interesting  cbildren  and  youtb  were  sent  away, 
"  from  tbe  missionary,  from  tbe  Bible-class,  from  the  Sab- 
batb-scbool,  from  tbe  bouse  of  prayer,  to  feed  on  tbe  mount- 
ains of  beatbenism.""^' 

Tbe  little  native  churcb  in  the  Bombay  mission  is  weak 
in  numbers,  talents  and  graces.  I  am  aware  of  but  two  ad- 
ditions to  it  since  tbe  action  of  our  Deputation  in  1854  ;  and 
instead  of  being  a  witnessing  cburch,  aggressive  in  its  cha- 
racter, it  is  hardly  able  to  maintain  its  own  position  and  num- 
bers. Only  one  missionary  (Rev.  A.  Hazen)  remained  to  watch 
over  the  remnant  of  tbat  mission  wben  I  left  India  in  1857; 
and  altbougb  just  before  the  coming  of  tbe  Deputation  be 
had  plead  for  tbis  mission  so  earnesth',  affirming  that,  "  The 
question  of  giving  up  Bombay  is  the  question  of  giving  up 
all  Western  India,"  (see  page  103,)  yet  be  was  now  so  dis- 


*  General  lamentation  for  precisely  the  same  class  of  pupils  and  schools 
which  were  dismissed  in  the  financial  crisis  of  1837  for  want  of  funds.  An- 
nual Report,  1838,  page  42,  etc. 


RESULTS   OF    SCHOOLS    IX    OUR    HOMBAV    MLSSIOX.      183 

couraged  Avith  its  prospects,  that  almost  the  last  remark  I 
heard  from  him  was,  that  he  would  not  tui'ii  his  hand  over 
to  prevent  the  abandonment  of  tliat  mission.  He  has  since 
returned  to  America,  and  a  young  brother  temporarily  fills 
his  place  and  prolongs  the  feeble  existence  of  the  mission. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Rev.  K.  W.  Hume,  in 
pleading  for  the  English  school  at  Bombay,  urged  that  it 
was  necessary  to  the  '^veryexistence^^  of  the  mission,  saying: 
"//!  is  a  question  of  life  and  deatlir  Mr.  Ballantine  fully  in- 
dorsed this  view,  saying:  ^^  I  believe  tcith  Mr.  Hume  that  ilie 
existence  of  the  Bombay  mission  is  at  staJce^  "Were  they  right 
on  this  point  ? 

The  history  of  the  schools  in  our  Bombay  mission  here 
comes  to  a  close.  From  its  origin,  it  has  been  preeminently 
a  ^reac// 2 ??(/ mission.  In  no  mission  has  the  experiment  of 
foithfal  vernacular  preaching  been  more  extensively  and 
thoroughly  tried.  Hall,  Kott  and  Newell,  those  earliest, 
able  and  most  devoted  missionaiies  of  the  American  Board, 
who  laid  the  foundation  of  this  mission  in  many  prayers 
and  tears,  were  eminently  preaching  missionaries.  They 
used  to  visit  the  temples,  markets  and  streets  of  Bombay 
daily,  and  often  many  times  a  day,  for  successive  years,  to 
preach.  Christ  to  those  degraded  idolaters.  But  what  was 
their  experience?  After  the  most  faithful  and  persevering 
efforts  of  this  kind,  we  hear  them  exclaim  :  "  But  alas ! 
when  we  fix  our  eyes  on  the  people,  all  is  dark  as  night." 
"  So  far  as  man  can  see,  all  seems  to  be  as  the  seed  that  fell 
by  the  wayside."  And  though  thej^  still  persevered  in 
preaching  efforts,  yet  tliey  felt  forced  to  resort  to  schools  as 
the  only  agency  which  would  bring  the  most  hopeful  class 
of  the  heathen  under  their  stated  instruction  and  influence. 

Resvilts   of  Schools  in  our  Bombay  Mission. 

This  agency  proved  efl'ective,  and  they  rejoiced,  thanked 
God  and  took  courage.  They  employed  it  to  the  extent  of 
their  means.  A  long  line  of  worthy  successors  has  entered 
into  their  labors,  confirmed  the  wisdom  of  their  plans,  and 
kept  in  operation  these  valuable  schools.     We  have  seen 


134  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

these  schools  increased  at  times  to  more  than  thirty,  acting 
as  so  many  glorious  lights  in  dark  centres  of  heathenism, 
and  diffusing^  an  elevating  and  benim  influence  throuoh 
large  masses  of  the  community.  We  have  seen  the  entire 
native  population  of  Bombay  thoroughly  aroused  hy  means 
of  these  schools,  engaging  in  various  fonns  of  opposition, 
and  sending  petitions  to  government,  entreating  it  to  inter- 
fere and  prevent  these  schools  from  diffusing  a  knowledge 
of  the  Christian  relie^ion.  We  have  seen  the  influence  of 
these  schools  extending  wider  and  wider,  resulting  in  an 
earnest  and  almost  universal  desire  among  intelligent  Hin- 
dus for  a  knowledge  of  the  Western  arts  and  sciences  and  a 
liberal  education,  revolutionizing  the  sentiments  of  the  peo- 
ple in  regard  to  female  education,  and  many  other  subjects 
closely  connected  with  their  well-being,  and  producing  very 
marked  progress  in  intellectual  and  moral  improvement. 
We  have  seen  ^^ heathen  teachers^''  and  pupils  yielding  to  the 
influence  of  this  stated  Christian  instruction,  rendered  effect- 
ive by  the  spirit  of  God,  and  they  at  length  brought  to  con- 
fess their  faith  in  Christ,  and  admitted  to  the  koly  ordinances 
of  the  Christian  Church, 

The  vision  which,  in  prospect,  so  cheered  the  hearts  of 
those  flrst  devoted  missionaries,  when,  toil-worn  and  weary, 
and  sighing  over  the  indifferent,  noisy  and  insolent  hearers 
which  they  found  in  the  streets  and  the  temples,  they  were 
wisely  led  to  resort  to  these  schools — the  vision  of  their  ul- 
timate influence  on  the  native  community,  has  been  more 
than  realized.  India  is  no  longer  what  she  then  was.  Those 
early  missionaries  foresaw  that  children  and  j'outh  educated 
in  these  schools,  could  not  believe  in  idols  and  the  thousand 
foolish  superstitions  of  their  fathers.  It  is  even  so.  In  the 
vicinity  of  all  the  older  missionary  stations  in  India,  a  genera- 
tion has  already  arisen  who  discard  many  of  the  errors  and 
superstitions  of  their  ancestors,  and  have  adopted  views  and 
practices  which  lead  the  old  orthodox  Hindus  to  despair  of 
their  faith,  and  to  predict  the  speed}^  downfall  of  the  whole 
fabric  of  Hinduism.  A  blessed  result  has  accrued  from  these 
mission  schools  in  Bombay  which  can  not  be  estimated  in 


RESULTS  OF  SCHOOLS  IX  THE   SCOTCH  MISSION.         136 

time.  And  yet  the  fruit  has  not  been  garnered  up  in 
our  own  mission.  Our  native  church  there  is  weak  and  al- 
most without  influence.  It  is  not  a  livino:,  active,  ao-scressive 
church.  Of  tlie  fifty-seven  adults  received  to  its  commu- 
nion from  its  origin,  I  can  learn  of  only  eight  or  nine  now 
constituting  its  entire  membership.  Why  is  this?  Why 
have  so  few  converts  been  gathered  in  ?  Why  have  the 
results  become  so  sadlv  dissipated  ? 

To  such  inquiries  let  no  one  attempt  a  reply  without 
much  deliberation.     I  will  only  suggest, 

1.  IIiGH-ScHOOLS  Jiave  not  been  alloiced  in  this  mission. 
These  high-schools  in  India  are  specially  successful  in  gathei-- 
ing  intelligent  and  promising  young  Hindus  under  Christ- 
ian teaching  and  influence. 

2.  The  primary  and  boarding-schools,  to  which  most  of 
the  converts  are  traceable,  have  been  more  and  more  re- 
stricted for  several  years  past,  and  the  interesting  boarding- 
school  of  Mrs.  Hume,  so  largely  blessed  of  God,  was  inter- 
dicted by  the  Deputation.  Of  the  two  converts  admitted  to 
the  Church  in  Bombay,  during  the  six  years  since  the  Depu- 
tation disbanded  the  schools,  one  was  for  years  a  pupil  in 
our  seminary  at  Ahmedimggur,  and  there  gained  a  good 
knowledge  of  Christian  truth  from  daily  stated  instruction. 

Kesults  of  Schools  in  the  Scotch  Free  Church  Mission  in  Bombay. 

Let  those  who  would  test  the  propriety  of  these  two  sug- 
gestions, contrast  the  history,  agencies,  and  results  of  the 
mission  of  the  American  Board  in  Bombay,  with  the  histo- 
ry, agencies,  and  results  of  the  Scotch  Free  Church  mission 
in  Bombay,  which  was  commenced  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
years  Later  than  ours.  In  the  Scotch  Free  Church  mission 
there  have  been  in  operation,  not  only  the  primary  schools 
in  large  numbers,  but  a  high-school,  with  its  college  depart- 
ment, has  constantly  brought  under  Christian  instruction 
from  100  to  300  of  the  most  intelligent  and  promising  native 
youth.  Their  latest  report  (1859)  gives  1075  pupils  in 
their  schools,  279  of  whom  are  in  their  collegiate  institution. 
G-od  has  blessed  these  schools,  and  they  have  now  a  living 


186  i^rissiox  SCHOOLS. 

and  nggressivo  cliurcli  of  some  80  or  100  members,  many 
of  whom  are  young  men  of  good  education,  higli  attain- 
ments, and  earnest  piety,  fitted  to  be  pastors,  preachers,  and 
helpers  in  prosecuting  this  work  of  God. 

This  contrast  between  the  two  missions  is  all  the  more 
striking  from  the  fact  that  both  are  in  the  same  heathen 
city,  and  the  American  mission  was  commenced  fully  six 
teen  years  before  the  other. 

Appeal  from  the  Action  of  the  Deputation. 

One  of  the  missionaries,  feeling  deeply  grieved  b}^  the 
loss  of  his  schools,  sent  to  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the 
Board  an  earnest  appeal  from  the  action  of  the  Deputation 
while  they  were  in  India.  Some  extracts  from  that  appeal 
may  properly  find  a  place  here.  After  speaking  of  the  pain 
it  gave  him  to  oppose  his  "  convictions  to  those  of  the  wise 
and  good  whom  we  respect  and  love,"  he  assures  the  Com- 
mittee that  he  should  excuse  himself  from  this  unpleasant 
duty  "but  for  the  painful  apprehension  that  the  corporate 
members  of  the  Board,  and  the  Christian  public  in  America, 
will  not  understand  the  true  state  of  the  case,  but  will  infer 
that  the  missionaries  are  responsible  for  these  changes,  or  at 
all  events,  fully  acquiesced  in  them.  This  apprehension 
arises  mainly  from  the  fact,  that  our  worthy  Deputation  so 
frequently  and  studiously  represent,  that  all  action  in  the 
general  meeting  was  by  the  missionaries  alone,  they  (the  De- 
putation) never  voting."  [See  j)-  124.]  The  appeal  con- 
tinues : 

"  Now,  to  give  up  our  denrest  and  fondly-clierished  views 
and  plans  of  labor,  and  yield  to  the  wishes  of  the  Deputation 
the  sternest  convictions  of  our  judgments  derived  from  and 
fortified  by  long  years  of  missionary  toil ;  this  of  itself  is  suffi- 
ciently painful.  But  after  having  done  so  with  the  best  grace 
possible,  it  would  seem,  in  common  justice,  that  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  '?iew  measures  should  no  longer  rest  with  us  ;  that 
the  Deputation,  whose  views  liave  been  conceded,  because 
coming  with  authority^  should  cheerfully  bear  the  entire  respon- 
sibility of  these  changes. 

"  Now,  I  shall  greatly  rejoice  if  I  find  my  apprehensions  on 


APPKAL    FROM    THE    DEPUTATION.  187 

tljis  point  uufoui-.ded,  if  the  result  sho\vs  that  tlie  Board  and 
Christian  public  in  America  do  understand  that  these  changes 
were  conceded  to  the  wislies  and  authority  of  the  Deputation, 
against  the  experience  and  convictions  of  a  majority  of  the 
missionaries.  I  liave  no  wisli  to  speak  for  any  of  my  brethren. 
If  any  one  of  them  acquiesced,  from  convictions  of  judujment, 
in  «//,  or  the  laryer part  of  tlie  changes  made  in  our  Mahratta 
missions,  at  the  instance  of  tlie  Deputation,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
know  it. 

"  Perhaps  it  is  sufficient  for  me  to  express  my  honest  belief, 
that  in  most  cases  of  change,  every  brother  yielded  his  own 
convictions  to  the  wishes  or  authority  of  the  Deputation,  and 
I  think  there  is  evidence  which  should  convince  you  and  the 
Christian  public  that  this  belief  is  correct. 

"  1.  The  previoKS  convictions  of  the  onissionaries.  These 
have  been  repeatedly^  and  ftdly^  and  persistently  stated  in  cor- 
resj)ondence  with  you.  The  secretaries  will  bear  ns  witness 
that  the  convictions  of  a  majority  of  us  have  ever  been  strong- 
ly urged  in  favor  of  schools  as  our  most  efficient  agency  in  pro- 
secuting our  work.  Representations  of  our  stern  convictions 
on  this  subject  were  sent  to  them,  bearing  the  signature  of 
every  missionary  then  in  the  field,  and  only  a  short  time  pre- 
vious to  the  visit  of  the  Deputation.  Is  not  this  evidence  that, 
in  assenting  to  the  changes  made,  the  missionaries  yielded  their 
own  convictions  to  the  wishes  and  authority  of  the  Depu- 
tation ? 

"  2.  TJie  NECESSITY  of  a  Deputation  to  secure  these  changes. 
Why  was  a  Deputation  sent  to  us  with  such  authority  ?  Do 
not  regard  me  as  opposed  to  Deputations.  No  ;  send  us  all 
you  can.  The  moi-e  the  better.  But  let  them  be  clothed  with 
authority  only  to  do  us  good  not  harm.,  to  help  not  hinder  the 
Avork ;  and  let  it  not  be  thought  invidious  if  I  add.  If  they 
must  come  at  the  expense  of  the  Board,  and  its  funds  are 
limited,  let  us  have  missionaries  rather  than  Deputations, 
Send  us  your  secretaries  and  bishops,  your  best  and  your  big- 
gest men  ;  but  let.  them  stop  here  and  labor  with  us,  shoulder 
to  shoulder,  in  this  work,  and  after  a  dozen  or  twenty  years, 
if  they  retain  the  views  of  our  present  Deputation,  why,  we'll 
tell  them  they  are  richly  entitled  to  them,  and  to  labor  on  in 
accordance  with  them  all  the  rest  of  their  days.  We  won't  try 
to  controvert  them,  and  if  any  inexperienced  Deputations  come 


138  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

out  from  Boston,  and  require  them  to  surrender  the'se  views, 
we'll  liold  up  both  hands,  and  solemnly  protest  against  such 
violence. 

"  But  why  did  you  clothe  this  Deputation  with  such  full 
power  and  authority  ?  Was  it  not  to  efiect  chanofes  which 
you  had  found  you  could  not  otherwise  effect?  Was  it  not 
because  our  convictions  from  experience  were  too  strong  to  be 
changed  by  correspondence  ?  Your  Secretary  had  already  ex- 
hausted every  argument.  What  remained  but  the  direct  au- 
thority of  a  Deputation  ?  Will  it  be  said  that  from  the  inter- 
views and  verbal  arguments  of  the  Deputation  our  convictions 
were  suddenly  changed  ?  If  this  were  a  fact,  what  rehance 
could  you  or  the  Christian  public  place  upon  us  ?  If  our 
strongest  convictions,  arising  from  the  experience  of  ten,  fif- 
teen, or  twenty  years  of  personal  labor  among  the  heathen, 
and  from  the  experience  of  all  who  have  labored  before  us,  can 
be  VN'holly  changed  hi  so  short  a  time,  then  what  security  can 
you  liave  that  they  will  not  change  again  as  quicHi/  ? 

"  3.  The,  discussions  incident  to  those  changes.  Th^vemight 
have  been  discussion  ending  in  mutual  agreement.  But  this 
was  not  the  case.  Convictions  unchanged  were  yielded  to  the 
Deputation.  In  case  of  the  Report  on  the  English  Institution 
at  Bombay,  [p.  129,]  why  did  the  chairman  resign,  and  an- 
other brother  take  his  place,  and  embody  the  views  of  Dr. 
Anderson  ? 

"On  the  question  of  schools  with  heathen  teachers,  [p.  131,] 
why  does  the  report  condemn  them  entirely,  when  seven  out 
of  nine  (our  whole  number)  voted  for  them  ?  But  on  these 
points  we  must  appeal  to  the  Deputation  to  bear  witness  for 
us  ;  and  I  fully  believe  they  will  testify  that  some  of  us  plead 
for  these  schools,  and  opposed  their  suppression  to  the  full  ex- 
tent of  our  ability,  and  finally  yielded  only  to  the  authority  of 
the  Deputation,  against  our  experience  and  the  strongest  con- 
victions of  our  judgments. 

"  4.  The  actual  votes  of  the  missionaries  on  some  questions. 
The  result  of  our  votes  does  not  appear  in  the  printed  minutes, 
but  my  interest  in  some  questions  led  me  to  take  notes,  with 
the  names  and  votes  of  brethren.  On  the  question  of  heathen 
teachers  our  votes  stood  tico  negative,  and  seven  affirmative. 
Xow,  to  tins  large  majority  here  on  the  ground,  in  fivar  of 
such  teachers  in  new  missions  when  others  can  not  be  had, 


APPEAL  FROM  THE  DEPUTATION.         139 

acid  the  votes  of  our  five  bretliren  who  were  absent,  namely, 
jMessrs.  Allen,  Abbott,  Hume,  French,  and  Burgess,  all  known 
to  have  very  strong  convictions  in  favor  of  such  schools,  and 
can  stronger  evidence  be  necessary  that  the  responsibility  of 
suppressing  these  schools  must  rest  entirely  with  the  Depu- 
tation ? 

"  5.  The  authority  used  by  the  Deputation.  I  need  only 
mention  this,  as  I  doubt  not  our  Deputation  will  cheerfully  tes- 
tify to  the  fact  that  they  used  the  full  authority  intrusted  to 
them.  When  they  affirmed  that  the  Committee  Avould  no 
longer  employ  heathen  teachers,  that  the  experiment  had  been 
tried  and  proved  a  failure,  they  will  remember  that  we  ui-ged 
with  all  earnestness  that  it  had  not  proved  a  failure,  that  these 
schools  had  proved  a  most  efficient  agency  in  the  Ahmednug- 
gur  mission,  and  though  they  could  now  be  dispensed  with 
there,  yet  the  necessity  for  them  in  the  neio  missions  Avas  still 
imperative.  AVhen  they  urged  that  we  could  not  point  to  a 
single  conversion  in  these  schools,  they  will  remember  our  re- 
ply, that  we  could  point  to  many  who  had  first  become  ac- 
quainted with  Christian  truth  in  those  schools,  and  when  trans- 
ferred to  the  seminary,  or  boarding-schools,  had  been  convert- 
ed and  gathered  into  the  Church.  They  will  remember  that 
we  pointed  to  our  ordained  native  preachers  and  most  valuable 
helpers  as  the  direct  fruits  of  these  schools,  they  having,  in 
almost  every  instance,  been  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth  while  employed  as  heathen  teachers.  They  will  remem- 
ber our  unanimous  statement,  that  with  one  single  exception, 
eueiy  convert  in  our  mission,  formerly  of  good  caste,  was  con- 
verted in  connection  with  our  schools  ;  and  they  will  remember 
the  frequently-expressed  opinion,  that  our  schools  had  more 
influence  in  bringing  in  the  MaJiar  (low  caste)  converts,  than 
any  and  all  other  agencies  combined.  When  we  pressed  our 
arguments  and  convictions,  as  they  may  have  thought,  too 
earnestly,  they  will  remember  their  repeated  affirmation,  that 
'  no  strength  of  argument.,  no  force  of  reasoning  will  ever 
change  the  vieios  of  the  Board  on  that  subject.^  When  our 
arguments  still  pressed  hard,  they  will  remeuiber  the  alterna- 
tive they  frequently  presented,  namely :  '  If  it  be  so,  then  the 
Board  will  give  up  their  Mahratta  missions,  and  send  their  men 
and  funds  to  China  or  some  other  field.' 


140 


MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


"  But  I  need  not  enlarge.  Our  worthy  Deputation  will  7iot 
decline  bearing  the  full  responsibility  of  these  changes.  They 
can  not  forget  the  persistent  earnestness  with  which  we  oppos- 
ed them.  Surely  they  will  not  wish  the  Board  or  the  Christ- 
ian public  to  think  we  made  them,  or  acquiesced  in  them,  in 
any  other  sense  than  as  yielding  our  convictions  to  their  wishes 
and  authority.  For  yielding  in  this  way  with  so  good  a  grace 
as  we  did,  they  will  doubtless  give  us  all  due  credit. 

"  I  might  mention  some  other  considerations  —  some  action 
in  regard  to  which  we  were  not  at  all  consulted,  as  the  appointing 
of  a  printing  committee.  I  might  mention  some  very  import- 
ant action  that  was  effected  while  in  private  session,  with*  only 
^fire  of  our  number,  the  remaining ^/b^«r  of  us  being  excluded — 
such  as  the  division  of  the  Ahmednuggur  church,  and  the  or- 
dination of  the  native  pastors  over  churches  in  the  city  instead 
of  in  the  Northern  field,  etc.  They  excluded  four  of  us  be- 
cause we  did  not  belong  to  that  particular  mission.  But  why 
was  it  not  as  proper  for  us  to  express  our  opinions,  and  give 
our  votes  on  the  changes  effected  in  that  mission,  as  for  the 
Ahmednuggur  brethren  to  give  their  opinions  and  votes  on 
the  changes  about  to  be  enforced  in  our  missions  ?  And  in 
this  connection  it  should  be  put  on  record,  tliat  of  our  whole 
number,  m?ie,  the  ordy  two  brethren  who  voted  against  hea- 
then teachers  in  all  circumstances,  were  then  members  of  the 
Ahmednuggur  mission.  I  might  mention  the  fact  that  the 
Deputation  did  not  visit  Kolapoor  ;  that  they  spent  only  a  few 
hours  at  Satara,  and  did  not  inform  themselves  as  to  the  pecu- 
liar difficulties  under  which  Ave  labor  in  these  new  fields  ;  that 
as  to  all  their  action  affecting  these  oiew  missions,  they  might 
as  well  have  sent  it  from  Boston  by  letter,  and  saved  the 
fatigue  and  expense  of  their  long  journey.  I  might  go  on 
with  such  specifications,  but  it  is  not  necessary.  We  wish  to 
yield  respectfully  to  all  due  authority,  and  neither  the  Board 
nor  the  Deputation  will  hold  us  responsible  for  results,  when 
we  thus  yield  against  our  own  convictions. 

"  Still,  the  more  I  reflect  on  the  subject,  the  more  I  fear 
there  is  danger  that  you  and  the  Board,  in  the  absence  of  any 
explanation,  7nay  receive  the  printed  reports  of  our  general 
meeting,  as  expressing  the  sentiments  of  at  least  a  majority 
of  us.  And  yet  I  do  not  suppose  that  one  of  us  is  willing  to 
subscribe  to  all  the  principles  and  details  of  those  reports — no, 


APPEAL  FHOM  THE  DEPUTATJOX.         lit 

not  even  the  rcspee-tive  individuals  who  drew  thcni  \\\)  us 
chairmen  of  the  conjniittees. 

"  Though  every  report  contains  much  that  lias  my  unquali- 
fied approval,  yet  there  is  something  in  every  one,  to  Avliich  T 
could  not  consent,  only  as  coining  with  the  authority  of  the 
Deputation. 

"The  first  report  (on  preaching)  embodies  much  that  ac- 
cords with  the  experience  and  conviction  of  every  missionary. 
But,  not  to  mention  some  less  important  items,  the  single  sen- 
tence at  the  bottom  of  the  29th  page,  beginning,  'In  doing 
this  it  will  not  probably  be  found  necessary  to  make  use  of 
schools  in  order  to  collect  a  congregation,'  prevents  the  possi- 
bility of  my  assent  to  it.  My  whole  experience  and  my  strong- 
est convictions  are  directly  opposed  to  this  statement.  I  have 
never  yet  seen  a  permanent  or  stated  congregation  [of  hea- 
then] obtained  in  this  country  without  schools,  except  in  the 
case  of  workmen,  as  in  a  printing-press,  or  paupers  or  invalids, 
j^or  have  I  ever  heard  of  such  a  congregation,  and  a  challenge 
in  presence  of  the  Deputation,  to  adduce  such  a  case,  failed  of 
being  met.  So  the  probability  is  all  on  the  other  side.  Wiiat 
accords  with  all  past  and  present  experience,  is  probable  — 
what  is  entirely  opposed  to  all  experience  is  not  probable. 

"  The  report  on  the  printing  establishment  will  perhaps 
illustrate  most  of  the  others.  I  was  appointed  with  brother 
Fairbank,  a  committee  to  report  in  favor  of  having  it  reduced 
and  a  part  of  the  presses  sold.  I  knew  brother  F.  was  op- 
posed to  the  measure,  for  he  had  told  me  so.  He  had 
had  much  debate  with  the  Deputation,  and  found  Dr.  A. 
fully  determined  to  reduce  the  press.  We  had  no  further  con- 
sultation on  the  subject.  Br.  Fairbank.  jDrepared  the  repoi  t 
to  suit  Dr.  A.,  and  the  thing  was  done.  He  allowed  his  own 
hand  to  perform  the  act,  and  then  bore  the  pain  as  well  as  he 
could.  How  keenly  he  felt  it,  may  be  inferred  from  the  follow- 
ing quotations  from  one  of  his  letters,  while  reducing  the  press : 
'It  is  trying  to  give  the  office  workmen  their  discharge. 
I  discharged  25  last  week.  It  cuts  me  to  the  hearty''  etc.  He 
felt,  to  use  his  own  language,  that  *  the  Deputation  have  come 
to  do  it,  and  it  inust  be  done.' 

"  In  the  third  report  (controlling  object  in  missions)  there 
is  much  that  meets  the  cordial  approval  of  every  missionary. 
But  the  idea  advanced,  that  the  last  commission  of  our  Lord 


142  MISSIdN-   SCHOOLS. 

Stands  in  the  way  of  our  establishing  schools  among  the  hea- 
then, to  teach  them  the  Gospel,  is  simply  absurd,  and  a  great 
mistake.  The  great  commission  is  just  as  much  against  the 
use  of  the  art  of  printing,  as  the  use  of  schools.  So,  too,  the 
attempt  to  bring  odium  upon  schools,  by  calling  them  '  spec- 
ulations and  experiments.'  What  has  stood  the  test  of  fifty 
years,  and  proved  successful,  is  no  longer  an  experiment. 
When  a  new  mission  is  organized,  and  prosecuted  among  the 
heathen  loithout  schools^  then  shall  we  have  an  experiment.,  and 
shall  watch  the  result  with  interest.  Would  it  not  have  been 
well  for  the  Deputation  to  commission  Messrs.  Hunger  and 
Hazen,  the  only  brethren  who  voted  against  these  schools  with 
heathen  teachers,  to  commence  some  neio  Tnlssioii  toithoiit 
schools.,  and  try  this  experiment  a  few  years,  before  attempt- 
ing to  force  us  to  adopt  the  plan  against  our  convictions  f 

"  The  fourth  report  (on  common  schools)  has  many  state- 
ments that  are  objectionable.  It  says  :  '  We  can  not  point  to  a 
single  case  of  conversion  among  all  this  number.'  This  doubt- 
less means,  while  in  those  primary  schools,  l^ow  a  closer 
examination  reveals  many  such  conversions,  and  many  more 
have  been  converted  after  being;  transferred  to  the  hiocher 
schools.  The  seed  sown  in  those  primary  schools  has  taken 
root,  and  afterwards  sprung  up  to  eternal  life.  And  then, 
what  agency  has  proved  so  mighty  as  these  same  schools  in 
breaking  up  their  vile  superstitions,  and  training  the  present 
thousands  of  Hindu  youth  who  discard  all  confidence  in  Ilin- 
duism  ? 

"  This  report  says :  '  A  few  instances  of  conversion  have 
occurred  among  the  superintendents  and  teachers  of  these 
schools,'  etc.  A  few  instances !  Such  as  Hurripunt,  Ram- 
krishnapunt,  IS'arayan,  Marooti,  Dajeeba,  Ramchunder,  Da- 
jeeba  of  Seroor. — Enery  convert,  originally  of  good  caste,  in 
all  our  missions,  with  one  single  exception,  was  brought  in 
through  these  schools  or  the  seminary.  Even  this  one  excep- 
tion was  a  teacher  in  a  native  girls'  school,  and  hence  sprung 
up  his  acquaintance  and  connection  with  the  mission. 

"The  report  says,  'The  result  seems  to  show  that  these 
schools  have  fliiled,  etc'  Not  at  all.  The  result  shows  the 
ve7'y  reverse.)  namely,  that  these  schools  have  been  our  only 
means  for  gaining  a  stated  hearing  for  the  Gospel  among  the 


AITKAL   rnOM   THE   DEPUTATIOX.  143 

better  class  of  Hiiulus — the  only  means,  with  God's  blesshig, 
of  securing  converts  among  thom  The  result  abundantly 
shows  that  our  schools  have  been  more  effective  than  any  and 
all  other  agencies,  in  making  known  Christ  and  winning  souls 
to  him. 

"  I  might  go  on  -with  specifications  of  this  kind  through  all 
the  reports,  but  it  would  require  too  much  time  and  labor, 
and  is  not  necessary  to  my  object.  I  only  Avish  to  impitess 
your  minds  with  the  fact  that  we  did  not  assent  from  convic- 
tion, to  the  principles  and  statements  of  these  reports  ;  that 
they  were  drawn  up  with  express  reference  to  the  views  and 
wishes  of  the  Deputation,  and  embody  the  views  of  the  indivi- 
dual writers  and  their  brethen  only  so  far  as  they  found  their 
views  accorded  with  those  of  the  Deputation. 

"  Hence  I  was  surprised  and  grieved  to  observe  that  the 
responsibility  of  the  views  expressed  in  these  reports  was  so 
wholly  thrown  upon  us  in  the  general  letter  of  the  Deputa- 
tion. How  is  this  ?  thought  I.  In  yielding  to  our  Deputation, 
against  our  own  convictions,  have  we  really  incurred  the  re- 
sponsibility of  these  changes  which  we  so  much  deprecate  ? 
It  is  not  possible.  The  Deputation  comes  '  clothed  with  au- 
thority.' They  tell  us  there  7nust  be  certain  changes.  Our 
English  schools  onust  be  broken  up,  and  our  vernacular  schools 
taught  by  heathen  teachers  must  be  disbanded.  They  find  us 
strong  in  the  convictions  Ave  have  always  sent  them  by  letter. 
But  after  long  and  earnest  discussions  —  after  doing  our  best 
to  change  or  modify  A'iews  and  theories  imported  from  Boston, 
we  respectfully  yield  to  authority.  Can  Ave  be  regarded  as 
responsible  for  these  changes  ?  Pray  do  not  regard  me  so,  for 
most  of  them  are  directly  opposed  to  all  my  missionary  expe- 
rience and  the  sternest  convictions  of  my  judgment. 

"The  changes  in  the  printing-press  reduce  it,  from  being  a 
most  efficient  and  valuable  agency,  to  one  Avhich,  in  my  hum- 
ble opinion,  had  better  be  given  up  entirely.*  In  its  proper 
Avorking  state,  it  Avas  able  promptly  to  execute  all  our  mission 
printing,  and  by  filling  up  the  intervals  with  other  Avork,  it 
not  only  met  all  its  own  expenses,  but  also  the  exj^euse  of  the 
whole  Bombay  mission.     Now  our  printing  is  done  Avith  great 

*  The  correctness  of  tliis  opinion  has  been  verified.     The  press  has  since 
■  been  entirely  given  up. 


144  Missiox  SCHOOLS. 

delay,  ancl  the  press,  if  not  already  a  tax  upon  the  funds  of  tho 
Board,  must  very  soon  become  so.  Our  '  printing  committee,' 
Avith  all  deference  to  our  Deputation,  is  not  what  we  want. 
It  only  clogs  machinery  svhich  was  before  working  well.  Pre- 
vious to  the  appointment  of  this  committee,  all  works  for 
printing  needed  only  the  approval  of  a  majority  of  the  mission- 
aries, and  it  could  be  executed  at  once.  Now  a  ms.  must  have 
the*approval  of  this  committee  of  three^  representing  only  tico 
missions  out  of  fow\  and  disturbing  the  i)revious  equitable 
balance  of  influence  and  power. 

"  The  allowance  for  building  a  mission-house  is  fixed  at  2500 
rupees.  A  temporary  house,  built  of  mud  and  covered  with 
grass,  may  be  built  for  this  sum,  and  even  less.  But  is  it  true 
economy  to  build  such  houses  at  permanent  central  stations  ? 
Is  there  one  bushiess  man  in  a  hundred  that  will  think  so  ?  A 
brother,  [Rev.  S.  B.  Hunger,]  whose  house  cost  some  5000  ru- 
pees, and  who  now  foresees  the  possibility  of  its  being  sold, 
and  he  being  obliged  to  build  again,  said  to  me  the  other  day  : 
*  2500  rupees  is  not  enough.  I  shall  never  attempt  to  build  a 
house  with  that  allowance.  I'll  go  back  to  America  first !  ' 
Xovv^  this  brother  made  no  opposition  to  our  report  on  build- 
ing in  our  meeting.  He  felt  no  personal  interest  in  the  subject 
at  that  time ;  and  he  and  the  other  brethren  who  were  living  in 
houses  which  cost  from  five  to  te7i  thousand  rupees  each,  may 
have  thought  it  desirable  to  yield  to  the  views  of  the  Deputa- 
tion on  this  subject.  But  let  them  have  to  build  anew,  and 
we  shall  better  know  their  feelings.  If  any  brother  now  in 
these  missions  will  build  a  house  at  a  permanent  central  sta- 
tion, for  2500  rupees,  I'll  gladly  acknowledge  myself  mistaken. 

"My  poor  schools  in  Kolapoor —  their  loss  will  deprive  me 
of  my  most  precious  opportunities  for  preaching  Christ  in  that 
great  idolatrous  city.  Many  will  be  the  weary  days  when  I 
shall  wait  with  heavy  heart  and  all  in  vain,  for  any  to  listen  to 
my  message.  Hitherto  I  have  had  audiences  which  have  glad- 
dened our  hearts  and  awakened  fond  hopes.  From  one  to 
two  hundred  youth  have  constituted  a  nucleus  around  which 
have  been  accustomed  to  gather  their  parents  and  friends, 
often  filling  our  entire  chapel.  These  youth  are  instructed  in 
the  truths  of  the  Gospel  every  day,  from  the  moment  they 
are  able  to  read.  The  Sabbath-school  exercise  of  catechising 
these  youth  has  been  more  attractive,  and  done  more,  I  verily 


APPEAL  FROM  THE  DEPUTATIOX.  145 

believo,  to  coiiiinuiiicate  Christian  truth  to  our  adult  hearers, 
than  my  more  formal  preaching.  Besides,  it  is  my  only  means 
of  attracting  those  adult  hearers.  Many  of  them  are  interest- 
ed in  their  children,  and  will  come  to  hear  their  prompt  replies 
to  my  questions.  Others  are  attracted  by  the  gathering,  and 
come  in  also.  And  once  in  the  chapel,  most  of  them  remain, 
not  only  through  the  Sabbath-school  exercise,  but  through  the 
Avhole  preaching  service.  I  thus  secure  an  attentive  hearing 
for  my  message  from  such  an  audience  as  I  could  obtain  in  no 
other  way. 

"  And  then  the  result  of  all  this  Christian  truth  on  the 
minds  of  those  youth.  It  is  committed  to  memory  and  im- 
]»ressed  upon  their  minds  by  frequent  reviews  and  repetitions, 
till  it  becomes  as  familiar  as  the  letters  of  their  alphabet.  Is 
it  to  lose  its  eflect  because  it  has  been  learned  in  school  ? 
Who  can  believe  it  ?  No,  if  I  must  be  deprived  of  this  most 
efficient  means  of  preaching  Christ,  I  shall  not  cease  to  thank 
God  that  I  enjoyed  it  so  long,  that  these  blessed  and  saving 
1 1'uths  have  been  so  deeply  impressed  on  so  many  of  those 
youthful  minds  and  hearts. 

"  Some  entertain  the  idea  that  any  labor  in  schools  detracts 
so  much  from  direct  oral  preaching.  Oh  !  what  a  mistake  !  I 
yield  to  no  man  in  my  estimate  of  the  importance  of  oral 
jn-eaching.  I  yield  to  no  man  in  the  amount  of  time  and 
strencjth  to  be  devoted  to  it.  Let  me  not  be  thouorht  to  boast 
of  any  toil  or  sacrifice  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  But  my  breth- 
len  will  bear  me  witness  that  I  fall  behind  no  one  in  the 
amount  of  time  and  strength  devoted  to  oral  preaching  of  the 
Gospel.  They  know  that  I  shrink  from  no  toil  or  exposure  to 
come  in  contact  with  the  people.  They  know  that  I  used  to 
traverse  that  '  Northern  field '  of  the  Ahmednuggur  mission 
in  the  hot  season  and  rains^  as  no  other  missionary  ever  did. 
They  know  I  have  prosecuted  this  work  in  Kolapoor  amidst 
the  ravages  of  cholera,  passing  daily  among  the  dead  and 
dying  for  successive  weeks,  till  my  only  attendant  was  struck 
down  by  the  disease,  and  died  under  my  care,  and  a  severe 
attack  prostrated  myself,  and  a  malignant  dysentery  followed 
for  months,  working  ravages  in  my  system,  from  which  I  am 
still  suftering. 

"  To  preach  Christ  to  these  perishing  heathen  is  the  only 
work  for  which  we  have  come  to  this  land.     '  Yea,  woe  is  me 


146  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

if  I  preach  not  the  Gospel.'  But  it  is  in  order  to  preach  that 
I  Avant  my  schools.  It  is  that  I  may  make  known  that  pre- 
cious Name  Avhich  is  above  every  name,  that  I  plead  in  their 
behalf.  Gentlemen  of  the  Prudential  Committee,  it  is  to  you 
I  make  this  last  appeal.     Is  there  no  i-eprieve  for  these  schools  f 

"  And  let  me  remind  you,  they  ask  not  your  funds.  They 
have  never  cost  your  Board  a  farthing.  Benevolent  Euro- 
peans who  see  and  Jcnoiv  their  value,  have  sent  in  money  for 
their  support  sufficient  to  leave  a  balance  each  year  in  your 
treasury.  They  ask  only  the  bare  faror  of  Ufe.  May  they 
not  live  to  Hess  these  perishing  idolaters  of  Kolapoor  f  .  ,  . 

"  My  health  is  precarious.  Should  what  I  have  here  said  in 
regard  to  the  great  subjects  of  mission  policy,  and  the  changes 
I  deprecate,  prove  to  be  my  last  testimony,  you  will  kindly  re- 
ceive it  as  originating  in  the  deep  convictions  of  my  judgment 
and  my  heart.  Do  not  regard  me  as  in  any  wise  hostile  in  my 
feelings  tOAvards  the  Deputation.  They  are  good  men,  and  I 
expect  soon  to  meet  them  in  heaven,  and  to  rejoice  with  them 
over  all  the  2:ood  the  Lord  has  effected  throusrh  such  unworthv 
instrumentalities  in  this  dark  land.  But  both  we  and  they  are 
erring  men  ;  and  they  have  not  had  the  facilities  for  judging 
of  the  tendencies  and  results  of  the  different  missionary  agen- 
cies here  in  India,  that  some  missionaries  in  the  field  have  en- 
joyed. 

"  I  have  spoken  freely  of  the  changes  I  deprecate — if  too 
freely,  you  Avill  excuse  it.  I  can  not  think  it  is  your  wish  to 
prevent  the  utterance  of  our  honest  convictions.  '  Give  me  the 
liberty  to  knoic^  to  utter  ^  and  to  argue  freely^  according  to  con- 
science^ above  all  liberties.''  You  will  see  that  I  am  conscien- 
tiously opposed  to  nearly  all  the  changes  which  the  Deputation 
effected.  But  in  practice  I  respectfully  yield  to  authority. 
Though  deprived  of  half  our  strength  and  means  of  usefulness, 
what  remains  but  to  toil  on,  and  do  what  we  can  ?  '  We  are 
perplexed,  but  not  in  despair — cast  down,  but  not  destroyed.* 
If  we  may  be  '  enlarged  through  your  liberality,'  we  will  thank 
God  on  your  behalf.  But  if  we  7nust  remain  '  straitened  on 
every  side,'  the  Lord.  Avill  help  us,  and  strengthen  our  fainting 
hearts.  In  the  bonds  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  service  of  our 
common  Lord  and  Master,  believe  me,  very  respectfully  and 
sincerely  yours,  R.  G.  W." 


UNHAPPr   RESULTS  OF  THE   CHANGE.  14T 

This  appeal  speaks  plainly  to  the  Committee  of  the  un- 
happy changes  enforced  by  the  Deputation,  but  avows  un- 
qualified submission  to  authority.  If  honest  convictions 
thus  held  in  abeyance  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  officers 
of  our  Missionary  Boards,  and  lead  to  the  impeachment  and 
excision  of  earnest  and  laborious  missionaries,  is  it  not  an 
omen  of  evil  which  may  w^ell  elicit  the  prayers  and  anxious 
consideration  of  all  who  love  the  cause  of  missions  ? 

Unhappy  Results  of  the  Change. 

It  is  not  my  purpose  to  gather  up  here  all  these  results. 
The  breaking  up  of  the  English  high-school,  boarding-school, 
and  common  schools,  in  Bombay ;  the  crippling  of  the  Bom- 
bay printing-press  so  that  it  has  since  been  found  necessary 
to  give  it  up  entirely ;  the  suppression  of  the  schools  with 
some  500  pupils  in  Kolapoor ;  the  suppression  of  the  schools 
in  Satara,  and  some  in  Ahmednuggur ;  the  abandonment 
of  the  printing-press,  the  Batticotta  seminary,  and  other 
schools  in  Ceylon — these  changes,  and  some  like  them  in 
Madura  and  Madras — do  they  not  present  sad  returns  for 
the  heavy  expenditure  of  time  and  money  involved  in  send- 
ing the  Deputation  to  India  ?  But  these  reveal  only  a  part 
of  the  disaster  attending  this  change  of  policy.  Among 
other  unhappy  results,  there  are  a  few  which  ought  to  be 
placed  on  record  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  to  come 
after  us.  And  these  which  I  mention  are  limited  to  myown 
knowledge,  and  to  our  Mahratta  missions  in  Western  India. 
There  may  be  others  like  them  in  Ceylon  and  the  other  mis- 
sions, but  of  those  I  do  not  speak.  Of  the  unhappy  effects 
in  Western  India,  which  are  not  generally  known  to  the 
Christian  public,  I  mention  : 

1.   TJie  hss  to  the  Board  of  able  and  devoted  missionaries. 

That  I  may  give  no  wrong  impression  on  this  point,  I 
will  mention  brief  details,  sufficient  to  put  the  candid  reader 
in  possession  of  facts.  My  brethren  will  kindly  excuse  me 
for  using  their  initials,  which  will  identify  them  only  where 
their  views  and  positions  are  already  known. 


148  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

(1.)  Brother  B joined  the  missions  in  1839,  and  left 

India  in  broken  health  early  in  1854.  His  estimate  of  the 
schools  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  when  Dr.  Ander- 
son and  the  Committee  abolished  the  Ahmednuggur  semi- 
nary, boarding-schools,  and  schools  with  heathen  teachers — 

all  by  one  order,  they  detached  Brother  B from  that 

mission  at  once,  and  sent  him  to  commence  a  new  mission  at 
Satara.  In  the  letter  of  May  10th,  1851,  which  brought 
that  order  to  India,  the  Secretary  writes  : 

"  We  infer  from  some  of  Mr.  B 's  letters,  that  the  con- 
siderable changes  now  to  be  made  in  the  educational  system 
of  the  Ahmednuggur  mission,  will  not  accord  with  his  present 
views.  .  .  .  He  will  find  it  more  pleasant  to  work  without 
boarding-schools  in  a  new  mission  at  Satara,  than  to  continue 
to  labor  where  this  class  of  schools  has  been  relinquished  after 
long  use." 

Brother  B was  allowed  to  have  primary  schools  with 

heathen  teachers  at  Satara^  and  continued  to  labor  there  till 
he  came  to  America,  just  before  the  Deputation  went  to 
India.  As  to  his  views  of  the  action  of  the  Deputation,  and 
his  principal  reason  for  not  returning  to  India,  the  following 
extracts  from  his  letters  are  quite  conclusive : 

"  I  will  not  attempt  to  characterize  the  policy  which  would 
not  permit  you  to  keep  your  schools  at  Kolapoor."  "  The 
policy  now  inaugurated  is  a  powerful  reason  for  my  not 
returning  to  India.  Could  they  have  admitted  such  a  liberal 
policy  as  to  permit  your  schools  at  Kolapoor,  and  ours  at 
Satara,  to  go  on,  even  this  would  have  made  the  case  diiferent. 
But  no,  all  must  be  cut  down  to  one  measure.  This  is  enough. 
I  have  had  enough  of  such  legislation,  and  shall  not  again  be 
entangled  in  that  yoke  of  bondage."     April  29,  1856. 

Brother  B resigned  his  connection  with  the  Board, 

and  has  continued  to  labor  in  pastoral  duties  to  the  present 
time.  With  his  excellent  knowledge  of  the  Mahratta  lan- 
guage, his  long  experience  and  many  facilities  for  mission- 


UNHAPPY   RESULTS  OF  THE   CHANGE.  149 

ary  labor,  he  is  lost  to  the  Board  and  to  the  work  of  missions 
in  India. 

(2.)   Brother  A labored  in  India   some   twenty-six 

years,  and  proved  himself  a  most  efficient  and  valuable  mis- 
sionary. He  came  to  America  just  as  the  Deputation  went 
to  India.  His  views  were  decidedly  opposed  to  their  doings. 
Some  will  remember  his  testimony  on  this  point,  at  the 
special  meeting  of  the  Board  at  Albany  in  1856.  He,  too, 
resigned,  and  has  been  engaged  in  pastoral  duties,  or  writing 
for  the  press,  ever  since.  I  suppose  he  would  gladly  have 
returned  to  his  mission  duties  in  India,  but  for  the  unwise 
policy  which  he  saw  and  felt  would  impede  his  labors  and 
usefulness  there. 

In  March,  1859,  he  wrote  to  a  brother  whose  mission  had 
just  been  abandoned  by  the  Prudential  Committee,  much  to 
his  grief,  as  ibllows  : 

"  The  question  of  your  return  to  India  will  soon  come  before 
you  for  consideration,  and  a  trying  question  it  will  be.  The 
deep  interest  you  feel  in  that  country,  your  strong  attachment 
to  the  missionary  cause,  and  your  desire  to  live  and  labor  and 
die  in  it ;  your  experience  in  this  good  work,  your  thorough 
knowledge  and  ready  use  of  the  native  language,  the  extensive 
acquaintance  you  have  there  formed,  and  the  influence  and 
good-will  you  have  acquired  among  the  European  and  native 
population  ;  all  these  are  reasons — strong  reasons — for  you  to 
return  to  India,  for  you  might  hope  to  accomplish  as  much  in 
two  or  three  years  as  any  new  missionary  could  accomplish  in 
five  or  six  years.     .     . 

"  There  is  one  circumstance  in  your  missionary  life,  which  I 
know  not  how  far  may  aifcct  your  return  to  India.  When  the 
Deputation  of  the  A.B.C.F.M.  visited  their  missions  in  India 
some  three  or  four  years  ago,  you  diifered  from  them  in  opin- 
ion in  respect  to  some  changes  which  they  wished  to  make, 
and  you  felt  it  your  duty  to  express  your  opinions  freely  to 
them,  and  also  to  communicate  your  views  to  the  Committee 
appointed  at  the  special  meeting  of  the  Board  in  Albany. 

"  Now  an  honest  and  conscientious  difference  of  opinion — 
the  result  of  long  observation  and  experience,  and  expressed 
with  Chiistiun  courtesy,  certainly  ought   not   to  be  to  your 


150  MISSION   SCHOOLB. 

prejudice.  Had  I  been  in  India  when  the  Deputation  was 
there,  I  should  have  had  the  same  views  of  those  changes  ichich 
you  had^  I  should  have  been  as  much  opposed  to  their  uneasures 
as  you  were^  and  I  doubt  not  I  should  have  expressed  my  views 
as  freely  to  them,  and  to  the  Committee  in  this  country,  as  you 
did.  And  we  should  have  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 
the  chaplains,  the  missionaries,  the  missionary  committees,  the 
presbyteries,  etc.,  in  India,  generally  agreed  with  us  in  their 
opinions  and  missionary  operations." 

(3.)  Brother  H was  a  most  laborious  and  devoted 

missionary.  He  labored  in  India  with  great  zeal  and  fidel- 
ity some  sixteen  years.  His  health  suddenly  failed,  and 
being  sent  awaj  from  Bombay  by  his  brethren  a  few  weeks 
before  the  Deputation  arrived,  he  died  at  sea  on  his  voyage 
to  America.  All  who  knew  him  will  remember  the  strength 
of  his  feelings  and  convictions  on  the  great  subject  at  issue, 
and  his  intense  anxiety  lest  the  Deputation  should  persist 
in  their  unwise  policy.  This  anxiety  taxed  his  feelings  un- 
ceasingly, and  led  him  to  exert  himself  beyond  his  strength 
in  writing  to  the  brethren  and  to  Dr.  Anderson,  deprecating 
with  all  his  soul  the  changes  he  was  coming  to  enforce. 
This  anxiety  led  him  to  labor  too  hard,  and  hold  on  to  his 
w-ork  too  long,  that  he  might  be  at  his  post  when  the  Depu- 
tatioTi  should  arrive.  From  the  severe  prostration  which 
followed  he  never  rallied. 

(4.)  Brother  G B is  a  man  of  tender  conscience 

and  a  loving  heart.  He  deprecated  alike  the  changes  ef- 
fected by  the  Deputation  and  the  manner  in  which  they 
Vvcre  compassed.  The  following  quotations  from  this 
brother  are  sufficiently  conclusive : 

"  Had  rather  a  warm  controversy  with  the  Deputation  tho 
very  last  hour  of  their  stay." 

"  Dr.  Duff  says  he  knows  our  Deputation  went  quite  be- 
yond the  limits  of  their  authority."  "  I  was  more  dissatis- 
fied with  those  dear  brethren  [the  Deputation]  the  last  hour 
or  two  spent  with  them,"  etc. 

This  brother  foresaw  the  friction  and  trouble  which  threat- 
ened all  who  did  not  repudiate  their  own  views  and  adopt 


UNHAPPr   RESULTS   OF   THE   CHANGE.  151 

those  of  Dr.  Anderson,  and  quietly  handed  in  his  resigna- 
tion. It  was  accepted,  and  his  connection  with  the  Ameri- 
can Board  was  thus  dissolved.  Alluding  to  this  act  of 
resignation  some  time  after,  in  a  letter  to  a  brother  mission- 
ary, he  wrote : 

''  I  have  done  all  tliat  I  needed  to  do  for  myself"  "  I 
cheerfully  wash  my  hands  of  the  whole  business." 

I  might  mention  other  similar  instances.  Some  will 
recall  the  facts  associated  with,  the  names  of  Rev.  Messrs. 
I.  isr.  H ,  C.  T.  M ,  and  others. 

But  I  forbear.  The  personal  vindication  of  any  one  is 
not  the  object  of  this  volume.  Let  us  rather  keep  an  eye 
closely  to  the  interests  of  the  Board  and  the  dear  cause  of 
missions.  But  with  these  interests  in  view,  and  the  fact  of 
these  noble  men — able  and  devoted  missionaries  as  they 
were — thus  lost  to  the  Board,  may  we  not  solemnly  ask. 
Can  we  afford  it  ?  can  the  Board  afford  it  ?  can  the  Church 
afford  it?  With  the  harvest  50  great,  and  her  laborers  so 
few,  can  she  afford  to  see  them  sacrificed  in  this  way  ? 
With  millions  of  heathen  perishing  for  want  of  the  Gospel, 
and  the  cry  for  help  coming  over  the  seas  from  every  dark 
corner  of  the  pagan  world,  can  she  afford  to  lose  her  most 
faithful  laborers  —  men  rich  in  the  treasured  resources  of 
long  experience,  possessing  a  knowledge  of  the  language 
and  of  the  people,  and  rare  facilities  for  effective  labor — can 
she  afford  to  lose  such  men  for  such  a  reason  ? 

2.  Another  result  of  the  Deputation  was  the  unhappy 
alienation  of  brethren. 

United  as  we  all  were  in  those  earnest  pleadings  for  our 
schools,  and  "embarrassed"  as  tliey  felt  themselves  by  our 
united  front,  they  could  succeed  in  their  undertaking  only 
by  acting  on  the  old  Roman  principle,  "  divide  and  con- 
quer." This  they  did  act  upon,  and  we  have  seen  with 
what  success. 

The  position  of  those  of  us  who  maintained  our  previous 
convictions  not  only  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  Deputa- 
tion, but  reflected  on  those  brethren  who  changed^  and  in- 
curred their  displeasure   also.     Here   is   a   most  unhappy 


152  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

result  of  the  Deputation.  "Behold  how  good  and  how 
pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity!" 
That  a  large  measure  of  this  blessed  unity  existed  among 
us,  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  Deputation,  requires  no 
confirmation. 

Those  two  series  of  letters  from  every  one  of  us,  pleading 
for  our  schools,  evinces  a  complete  unanimity  of  sentiment  — 
a  remarkable  unity  of  feeling  and  views,  even  among  mis- 
sionaries ;  and  the  hundreds  of  letters  in  my  possession  from 
all  in  our  mission  band,  develop  facts  in  Christian  inter- 
course and  communion,  show  a  strength  of  attachment  and 
sympath}^,  and  breathe  a  spirit  of  Christian  love,  very  rare 
in  the  brotherhood  of  saints  on  eartli. 

But  this  precious  "  fraternity  of  feeling,"  (p.  103,)  pre- 
viously existing,  was  suddenly  broken ;  and  the  conse- 
quent results  are  sufficiently  evident,  both  in  India  and 
America.  Oh  !  when  will  Christian  men  learn  to  sink  their 
personal  differences,  agree  to  disagree,  and  ceasing  to  forbid 
those  who  cast  out  devils  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  (Mark  9  : 
38-40,)  join  hand  and  heart  in  any  and  all  means  and 
measures  by  which  souls  can  be  won  to  Christ  ? 


The  following  Tabular  Vieiv  of  the  schools  of  this  mission 
has  been  prepared  with  all  possible  accuracy  from  the  reports 
and  periodicals  of  the  Board  and  the  letters  of  the  mission- 
aries. It  presents  the  number  of  schools  and  pupils  each 
year,  from  the  origin  of  the  mission  to  1856,  so  far  as  reliable 
data  can  be  found.  When  the  precise  number  is  not  stated 
in  the  reports  and  letters,  the  best  possible  estimate  is  given, 
and  the  fact  that  it  is  an  estimate  is  indicated  by  a  *. 


TABULAR   VIEW    OF  THE   SCHOOLS. 


ir.a 


Tabular  View  of  the  Schools  of  the  Bombay  American  Mission. 


Boys'  Schools  with 

GlrLs' 

Schools  with 

Girl's  Boarding 

English 

Total 

Heathen  Teachers 

Ileafh 

en  Teachers. 

Schools. 

Nvunber  of 

Year. 

Schools.       Pupils. 

Scliools 

I'upils. 

Schools.     Pupils, 

Schools. 

Pupils. 

1816 

4           300 
6            400 

14  900 

19  1000* 

20  1050 

15  750* 
18           900* 
26          1454 
39         2000* 

300 

1817 

400 

1818 

900 

18ly 

1000* 

1820 

.X 

1050 

1821 

in  families  20 
40* 
no  returns. 

720 

1822 

940 

1823 

1454 

1824 

1 

uot  given. 

2000* 

1825 

39*       2000* 

1 

25* 

50* 

2075* 

182G 

24          1499 

16  1126 
19         1100 
31         1200 

17  1000 
21          1485 

18  1322 
16         1500 
16          1295 

9 
10 
10 
10 
18 
12 
12 
12 
12 

466 
577 
400 
400 
500 
442 
383 
500 
300 

1965 

1827 

1703 

1828 

1500 

1829 

1600 

1830 

1500 

1831 

1927 

1832 

1705 

1833 

2000 

1834 

1              10 

1       25 

1630 

1835 

17           868 

14 

330 

2             50 

2       75 

1323 

1836 

17           868 

12 

330 

2             50 

1240 

1837 

10*         550* 

6* 

200 

2              40 

790 

1838 

8*         450* 

4* 

150 

2              40 

640 

1839 

5*         300* 

3* 

84 

2              44 

428 

1840 

8*         317 

4* 

100 

2              42 

459 

1841 

6*         300 

4* 

100 

2              42 

442 

1842 

6*         300* 

4* 

100 

2              45 

445 

1843 

6*         300* 

3* 

75* 

2              45 

420 

1844 

5           300 

4 

95 

2              40 

435 

1845 

5           298 

4 

50 

2              45 

393 

1846 

5           250 

'4 

60 

2              48 

358 

1847 

5           250 

4 

60 

2              48 

358 

1848 

6           300 

4* 

40 

2              50 

390 

1849 

6           300 

4 

80 

2             54 

434 

1850 

6           300 

4 

80 

2              54 



434 

1851 

9           400 

4 

75 

2             54 

529 

1852 

8           355 

4 

75 

2             54 

484 

1853 

8           350 

4 

75 

2              54 

479 

1854 

No  reliable 
"  statistics. 

1     275 

275 

1855 

1856 



t  •  • 

In  examining  the  above  Table  the  reader  will  bear  in  mind 
that  no  record  of  native  Christian  teachers  appears  in  the 
whole  history  of  the  Bombay  mission,  except  one  for  a  short 
time  in  the  girls'  boarding-school  in  1848,  and  two  more 
bub.sequent  to  1850.     Two  native  (7//r/s(?V(/i  t'.'achers  and  one 


154  HUSSION   SCHOOLS. 

Indo-Briton  were  also  employed  in  1854,  in  the  Englisli  in- 
stitution which  was  suppressed  by  the  Deputation. 

The  above  Table  shows,  therefore,  that  an  average  of 
twenty  heathen  teachers  were  employed  in  the  Bombay  mis- 
sion schools  for  thirty-eight  successive  years^  with  the  warm, 
unhesitating  approval  of  the  executive  officers  of  the  Board. 

Summary  of  Results. 

If  the  following  statistics  differ  in  any  respect  from  the 
manuscript  records  of  the  church,  the  difference  must  be  at- 
tributed to  defects  in  the  published  reports  and  documents, 
not  to  any  want  of  scrupulous  care  and  patient  labor  in  ex- 
aminiug  and  collating  them. 

Wliole  number  admitted  to  church  fellowship  from  the  origin  of 

the  mission  to  185Y, 67 

Europeans,  Americans,  and  other  foreigners  converted  mostly  in 

connection  with  labors  and  preaching  in  English, 8 

Employed  as  teachers  and  thus  brought  under  Christian  instruction 

and  converted, 8 

Pupils  or  teachers,                         ditto                            ditto, 18 

Parents  and  friends  of  pupils  and  teachers,  and  thus  brought  under 

instruction  by  means  of  schools, 10 

Poor  persons,  subsisting  on  alms, 9 

Sei'vants,  and  thus  coming  under  daily  instruction, 3 

First  awakened  by  tracts  and  received  after  mouths  of  daily  in- 
struction,    1 

Converted  by  preaching  in  streets,  markets,  and  on.  tours, 0 —     57 

Of  the  above  conversions,  those  traceable  directly  to  schools, ....  26 

Conversions  traceable  indirectly  to  the  schools, 10 

Other  pupils  giving  evidence  of  piety,  but  dying  before  baptism, .  .  7 

In  view  of  the  fixcts  here  presented,  the  reader  is  request- 
ed to  form  his  own  estimate  of  the  value  of  these  schools. 
What  could  have  been  hoped  for  the  Bombay  mission  with- 
oiit  them  ?  And  w^hile  we  grieve  that  no  more  have  been 
gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ  in  this  mission,  let  us  also 
thank  God  that  he  has  condescended  to  own  and  bless  these 
agencies  so  largely  as  he  has. 


TABULAR  VIEW   OF  TUE   MISSIONARIES. 


155 


Tabular  View  of  the  Missionaries  and  Assistant  Missionaries  in  the 
Bombay  MissiOD,  from  its  origin  to  the  close  of  1856. 


Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 

19. 


Gordon  Hall, 
Samuel  Nott, 
Samuel  Newell, 
Horatio  Bardwell, 
John  Nichols, 
Allen  Graves,* 
Edward  Frost, 
D.  0.  Allen,  D.D.,+ 
Cyrus  Stone, 
William  Hervey, 
AVm.  Ramsey, 
HoUis  Read, 
S.  B.  Munger, 
Henry  Ballantine, 
R.  W.  Hume, 
Geo.  Bowen, 
"William  Wood, 
S.  B.  Fairbank, 
A.  Hazen, 


Length  of 
Service. 
Yrs.  Mths.  Dys. 


Joined  the  Mission. 

Feb.  11, 1813.  Died,  March  10,  1S26.  13  1  0 

"  Returned  to  Amer.,  Oct  7, 1815.  2  7  26 

March  7, 1814.  Died,  May  80, 1821.  7  2  28 

Nov.  1,  131G.  Returned,  Jan.  22,  1821.  4  2  21 

Feb.  23, 1818.  Died,  Dec.  9,  1824.  6  9  16 

"  Died,  Dec.  30, 184-3.  21  3  16 

June  28,  1824.  Died,  Oct.  18,  1825.  1  8  20 

Nov.  27,  1827.  Returned  to  Amer.,  Feb.  1853.  22  0  0 

Dec.  28, 1827.  Withdrew,  June  20,  1S38.  10  5  28 

March  7, 1S;31.  Went  to  N.,  Dec.  20, 1831.  0  9  13 

"               .  Returned  to  Amer.,  July  5, 1834.  8  3  28 

"  Went  to  Nuggur,  Dec.  20, 1831.  0  9  18 

Sept.  10,  1884.  Went  to  Jalna,  Feb.  1837.  2  5  0 

Oct.  10, 1S35.  Went  to  Nuggur,  Oct.  20, 1886,  10  9 

Aug.  10, 1339.  D.  at  Sea,  left  B.,  Sept.  20,  1854.  15  110 

Jan.  19,  1848.  Withdrew,  Jan.  1855.  7  0  0 

"  Went  to  Satara,  June  1,  1,849.  1  4  12 

Jan.  1850.  Left  for  Amer.,  March  1855.  5  2  0 

Jan.  1855.                         "             Jan.  1857.  2  0  0 


Assistant  Missionaries. 


James  Garrett, 
W.  C.  Sampson, 
Geo.  W.  Hubbard, 
Elijah  A.  Webster, 


May  9, 1821. 
Nov.  22,  1888. 
Sept.  10,  1834. 
Oct.  11,  18:35. 


Died,  July  16, 1881. 
Died  at  Aleppo,  Dec.  22,  1835. 
Recalled,  June  20, 1837. 
1841. 


128 

0 

20 

10 

2 

7 

2 

1 

0 

2 

9 

10 

6 

0 

0 

21        0      17 


Female  Assistant  Missionaries. 

Joined  the  Mission. 

Yrs. 
Mrs.  Hall,  (Margaret  Lewis,)  Dec.  19, 1816.  Retur.  to  Amer.,  July  80, 182.5.  8 
Mrs.  Newell,  (Har.  Atwood.)  D.  at  Mauritius,  Nov.  80,  1812.     0 

Mrs.  Newell,  (Phil.  Thurston,)  Married  Mar.  26,  i 

Ret.  to  Amer.,  Oct.  29,  1831.  18 


Length  of 

Service. 

Mths.  Dys. 

7      11 

0        0 


Mrs.  Garrett, 


1818. 
Married   to   Mr. 
G.,  Mar.  26,1822. 
Mrs.  Nott,  Feb.  11, 1813. 

Mrs.  Bardwell,  (Rach.  Furbush,)  Nov.  1, 1S16. 
Mrs.  Nichols,  (Eliz.  Shaw,)  Feb.  23,  1818. 
Mrs.  Graves,*  (Mary  Lee,)  Feb.  23,  1818. 
Jlrs.  Frost,  (C.  Emerson,)  June  28, 1824. 
Mrs.  Allen,  (Myra  Wood,)  Nov.  27, 1827. 
"  (Orpah  Graves,)    Sept.  10,  1834. 

Married,  Feb.  22,  1838 
"  (A.  C.  Condit,)  m.  Dec.  12, 1843. 

Mrs.  Stone,  (A.  Frost,)  Dec.  28,  1827. 

"  (Abby  Kimbal,)    Sept.  10,  m.  Oct. 

26,  1S34  Withdrew,  June  20,  laSS, 


"  Oct.  7,  1815. 

Jan.  22, 1821. 

'.'  Oct.  19, 1826. 

Con.  with  Satara,  Dec.  1851. 
Went  to  Ceylon,  Oct.  12, 1826. 
Died,  Feb.  5,  1831. 

Died,  June  6,  1842. 
Died,  June  11,  1844. 
Died,  Aug.  7, 1&33. 


26 
21 
22 
16 
14 
8 


8  26 

6  0 

7  10 

1  18 


*  Absent  in  America,  4  years,  6  months,  21  days. 

+  Absent  in  N  ,  3  yearn,  3  months. 

%  .\bsent  in  America,  6  years,  6  months,  21  day.«i. 


15^  MIS.SIOX   .SCH001.S. 

Length  of 
Joined  the  Mission,  SerA-ioo. 

Trs.  Mths.  Dyi 
Mrs.  Hervey,  (E.  11.  Smith,)      March  7,  1S31.  Died,  May  S,  1S81,  0        1      26 

Mrs.  Ramsey,  (Mary  Wise,)  "  Died,  June  11,  1S34.  8        3        4 

Mrs.  Read,  (Carol,  ilubbell,)  "  Went  to  Nuggur,  Dec.  20, 1831.     0        9      13 

Mrs.  Munger,  (M.  L.  Andrews.)    Sept.  10, 1S34.  Went  to  Jaina,  Feb.  1S3T.  2        5        0 

Mrs.  Ballantine,  (Eliz.  Darling,)  Oct.  11, 1S35.  Went  to  Xuggur,  Oct.  20, 1S36.  10  0 
Mrs.  Hume,  (11.  D.  Sackett,)  Aug.  10,  1S39.  Ret.  to  Anier.,  Sept.  20,  1854.  15  1  10 
Mrs.  Wood,  (Lucy  Lawrence,)  Jan.  10, 1848.  Went  to  Satara.  June  1,  1849.  1  4  12 
Mrs.  Fairbank,  (Abby  Allen,)    Jan.  1850.  Died,  Aug.  21,  1852.  2        7      21 

Mrs.  Hazen,  (M.  Chapin,)  Jan.  1855.  Came  to  Amer..  Jan.  1857.  2        0        0 

Mrs.  Sampson,  (M.  L.  Barker,)  Nov.  22, 1833.   Ret.  to  Amer.,  June,  1SS6.  2        C        0 

Mrs.  Hubbard,  (E.  Burge,)  Sept.  10,  1834.  "  June  20,  1837.        2        9       10 

Mrs.  Webster,  (M.  Rawson,)       Oct.  11, 1835.  "*  1841.  (i        0        0 

Miss  Cynthia  Farrar,  Dec.  28,  1827.    Came  to  America,  1837.  10        0        0 

25  in  actual  service.  138        6        5 

In  preparing  the  above  Table,  time  spent  in  voyages,  and 
absence  in  America  or  elsewhere,  is  not  reckoned. 

The  existence  of  the  Bombaj-  mission  from  its  origin  to  the  close  of  1856, 44  years. 

Yrs.  Mths.  Days.            Yrs.                                       Yrs.  Mths.  Daya. 

Labor  by  19  missionaries,  128  0  20.    Deduct  2  each,  learning  language,  90        0  20 

"4  assist.       "              21  0  17.         "        "                      "                  13        0  17 

"    25  fem.  assist,  miss.,  138  6  5.         "        "                      "                  88        6          5 


Actual  service  by  all  the  missionaries  and  assistant  missionaries,  191        7        12 

It  may  interest  some  to  know  how  many  of  these  labor- 
ers died  in  the  field,  how  many  returned  etc.  Counting 
Harriet  ISTewell  as  having  died  in  the  service,  though  not 
having  reached  Bombay,  and  the  following  Table  will  show 
that 


Died  in 


Returned  Transf.  In  the 


q  ,.^.„ '               and  Withdrew,    to  other  Recalled.    Mission 

aeivice.  Released.                        Missions.  in  1856. 

Of  the  19  missionaries,          6                    4                   2                   6  1 

"        4  assist,  miss.,           2                    _                  _                  _  2  - 

"      26  fem.  assist  miss.,    8                    7                  17  2  1 

From  the  above  facts,  it  is  easy  to  gather  the  average  time 
of  each  laborer  in  the  mission,  and,  deducting  two  years  for 
learning  the  language,  the  average  period  of  effective  labor, 
namely : 

Yrs.    Mths.  Days.      Yrs.  Yrs.   Mths.  Days. 

Average  time  by  each  miss.,    6  8  26.      less  2  for  learning  language,  4  8        26 

"         "    assist.         "5         3  4.        "    2  "  "  3  3  4 

"         "  fem.  assist.  "56  14.        "    2  "  "36        14 

"         "    of  the  6  miss. 

who  died  la  service,      10         9  19.        "2  "  "89        19 

Of  all  these  laborers,  only  4  missionaries,  and  3  female 
assistant  missionaries  are  now  (1861)  in  India. 


^ERMA^'KNCY    DKr^l  RABf.K.  IT)? 

The  reflecting  reader  will  note  the  very  short  average  pe- 
riod of  effective  service  by  each  laborer,  as  brought  to  view  in 
the  preceding  Table.  Is  it  not  worthy  of  consideration, 
whether  the  comparatively  small  results  of  labor  in  this 
Bombay  mission  are  not  owing  in  part  to  these  very  short 
periods  of  service  and  frequent  changes  among  the  mis- 
sionaries ?  Not  only  have  six  missionaries  and  seven  female 
assistant  missionaries  been  transferred  from  this  to  other 
missions,  but  some  of  the  laborers  in  this  mission  were  trans- 
ferred to  it  from  other  missions.  Occasional  transfers  may 
be  desirable,  but  my  experience  has  led  to  an  abiding  con- 
viction, that  the  more  a  feeling  of  individual  responsibility 
can  be  increased  in  the  members  of  a  mission,  by  their  long- 
labor  and  personal  interest  in  it,  the  better  will  it  be  for  the 
progress  of  this  work. 

Any  thing  which  conflicts  with  this  feeling  of  personal  in- 
terest and  responsibility  is  injurious  alike  to  the  missionary 
and  the  mission.  A  man  who  is  detached  from  duties  in 
which  his  whole  soul  has  become  deeply  interested,  and  sent 
to  another  field,  will  find  time  and  effort  necessary  to  make 
his  heart-strings  wind  so  closely  around  new  objects. 

And,  in  like  manner,  when  a  missionary  is  sent  to  supply 
the  place  of  another  temporarily^  he  will  not  feel  the  same 
responsibility  and  interest  as  if  he  expected  the  change  to  be 
permanent.  If  the  plans  and  measures  he  finds  in  use  do 
not  prove  effective,  he  did  not  originate  them.  If  he 
changes  them  he  may  soon  leave,  and  his  successor  or  pre- 
decessor may  come  and  change  them  again. 

Much  the  same  reasoning  applies  to  all  dictation  and  re- 
strictions from  abroad.  The  home  Ofiicers  of  a  Society 
should  certainly  have  authority  to  limit  the  funds  they  will 
grant  to  a  particular  mission  and  to  make  grants  for  partic- 
ular objects  if  they  choose,  but  if  they  put  a  missionary  in  a 
kind  of  "  strait-jacket,"  interdicting  his  schools  or  his  preach- 
ing in  English,  there  is  great  danger  of  destroying  this  desi- 
rable feeling  of  personal  responsibility  and  interest,  and  thus 
degrading  a  missionary  from  his  high  character  as  a  minis- 


158  ,  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

ter  of  Christ,  and  rendering  his  labors  to  a  great  extent  in- 
effective. 

I  have  known  some  unhappy  instances  which  would  il- 
lustrate these  views,  but  will  only  commend  the  subject  to 
the  prayerful  consideration  of  the  Officers  of  our  Missionary 
Societies. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

CHAEACTER   AXD   RESULTS   OF   SCHOOLS   IN   THE 
AHMEDNUGGUR   MISSION. 

Origin  of  the  Mission. 

Ahmednuggur  was  once  tlie  seat  of  Moslem  power  in 
this  part  of  India.  It  is  a  city  of  28,000  native  inhabitants, 
situated  above  the  Ghats  or  mountains,  175  miles  northeast 
of  Bombay,  and  is  now  a  military  station  of  the  British 
Government.  This  site  for  a  mission  was  explored  and 
fixed  upon  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Allen  and  Read,  in  November, 
1831,  and  on  the  20th  December  following,  Messrs.  Graves, 
Hervey  and  Read  arrived  and  commenced  their  labors. 

Among  the  first  notices  of  this  mission,  we  find  mention 
of  schools,  and  a  poor's  asylum,  in  which  the  missionaries 
"daily  gave  instruction."  The  poor  inmates  of  this  asylum 
were  under  the  stated  teaching  and  influence  of  the  mission, 
and  in  this  respect  it  bore  a  close  analogy  to  a  school,  and 
secured  much  the  same  results. 

The  first  convert  baptized  was  the  wife  of  Babajee,  who 
had  been  converted  at  Bombay,  while  employed  as  a  ^''hea- 
then teacher."  The  mother  of  Dajeeba,  another  "  heathen 
teacher,"  who  had  been  converted  at  Bomba}',  was  soon 
after  baptized,  and  also  several  inmates  of  the  poor's 
asylum. 

In  the  second  year  of  this  mission,  a  Presbyterian  church 
was  duly  organized,  consisting  of  1-1  members,  10  of  whom 
were  natives.  Babajee  and  Dajeeba  were  ordained  elder  and 
deacon,  and  the  church-  was  connected  with  the  Third  Pres- 
bvterv  of  New-York.     How  comes  it  that  all  elements  of 


IBO  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

Presbyterianism  have  disappeared  from  this  cliurch  and 
mission  ? 

Ahmednuggur  was  commenced  as  a  station  of  the  Bombay 
mission,  but  conflicting  interests  between  stations  and  labor- 
ers so  far  removed  from  each  other  caused  dissension,  and  it 
was  separated  from  Bombay  by  a  positive  order  of  the  Pru- 
dential Committee,  and  became  an  independent  mission  some 
years  before  I  went  to  India. 

AYhen  Satara  and  Kolapoor  were  made  distinct  missions, 
Dr.  Anderson  wrote:  "Large  territorial  missions  do  not 
work  well  any  where.  ...  It  seems,  therefore,  that  nothing 
would  be  actually  sacrificed,  and  much  probably  gained,  by 
making  four  distinct  Mahratta  missions  instead  of  two." 

And  yet,  by  a  recent  order  of  the  Prudential  Committee, 
Dr.  Anderson  has  reiinited  all  these  missions  into  one,  and 
that  too,  against  the  recorded  wishes  and  unanimous  votes 
of  all  the  brethren  in  the  Ahmednuggur  mission. 

Prorainence  given  to  Schools. 

The  missionaries  gave  great  prominence  to  schools,  and  as 
early  as  1835,  we  find  9,  and  two  years  later,  17  free  schools 
Avith  heathen  teachers  in  operation  in  Ahmednuggur  and  the 
surrounding  villages ;  and  though  the  financial  crisis  of  1837 
enforced  temporary  retrenchment,  yet  these  schools  were  so 
highly  valued,  that  they  were  resumed  as  rapidly  as  possi- 
ble, and  continued  to  increase  and  prosper  till  1850,  at 
which  date  there  were  no  less  than  21  in  operation,  most  of 
them  still  having  heathen  teachers.  Of  such  teachers,  Mr. 
French  fitly  says:  "We  must  employ  them  till  it  shall 
please  the  Head  of  the  Church  to  give  us  others."  His  esti- 
mate of  the  usefulness  of  these  schools  may  be  inferred  by 
his  having  eight  of  them  under  his  superintendence  at  Se- 
roor,  and  wishing  he  had  means  for  increasing  their  number. 
Of  these  teachers,  the  missionaries  say:  "They  are  regarded 
as  in  the  most  favorable  circumstances  for  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  the  truth  and  receiving  it  into  their  hearts." 

As  to  the  character  and  value  of  these  schools,  take  the 
following  from  the  report  of  1814  : 


PRO^tlNENCE   GIVEN   TO   SCHOOLS.  161 

*'  We  have  recently  appointed  a  native  superintendent  to 
take  charge  of  all  of  them,  to  visit  them  regularly  and  see 
that  their  Scripture-lessons,  as  well  as  their  other  studies, 
receive  due  attention,  to  assist  in  teaching  the  boys  of  the 
town  schools  on  the  Sabbatli,  and  also  to  instruct  a  fev»r 
young  men  with  the  design  of  preparing  them  to  be  school- 
teachers in  the  villages.  We  have  long  felt  the  importance 
of  increasing  the  number  of  our  village-schools,  and  we  can 
obtain  suitable  teachers  for  them  only  by  training  them 
ourselves.  The  young  man  whom  we  have  made  superin- 
tendent, has  long  been  employed  as  a  teacher,  originally  by 
Mr.  Munger  at  Jalna,  and  afterwards  by  us  at  this  station." 

Thus  did  the  missionaries  attach  so  much  importance  to 
these  schools  that  they  employed  heathen  teachers  and  heathen 
superintendents^  not  onl}^  in  the  infancy  of  the  mission,  when 
they  had  few  or  no  converts,  but  when  heathen  teachers  and 
superintendents  were  converted  and  received  into  the  Church, 
they  found  other  duties  for  them,  and  employed  other  hea- 
then teachers  and  heathen  superintendents  to  conduct  these 
schools. 

This  page  in  the  history  of  the  Ahmednuggur  mission  is 
worthy  of  careful  study,  both  for  the  evidence  it  furnishes 
of  the  views  and  practice  of  its  missionaries,  Messrs.  Ballan- 
tine,  Abbott,  and  French,  and  also  for  the  signal  success  of 
these  schools  in  leadino;  to  the  conversion  of  the  most  Intel- 
ligent  and  useful  converts  in  the  mission.  The  life-long  and 
invaluable  labors  of  Miss  Cynthia  Farrar  have  been  spent  in 
the  Christian  instruction  and  care  of  girls'  schools  with  such 
heathen  teachers.  They  proved  a  difficult  and  laborious,  but 
most  useful  branch  of  labor.  The  reports  of  the  mission 
and  of  the  Board  abound  in  statements  as  follows :  "  Miss 
Farrar  is  indefatigable  in  her  exertions  to  make  them  as 
efficient  as  possible.  A  change  is  gradually  taking  place 
in  public  opinion  as  to  the  importance  of  female  education  ; 
but  this  change  is  slow,  and  we  fear  many  years  will  elapse 
before  the  people  of  this  place  will  desire  to  avail  themselves 
extensively  of  the  advantages  afforded  them  for  the  educa- 
tion of  their  daughters." 


162  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Miss  Farrar  has  lived  to  see  this  change  sufficiently 
marked  to  elicit  devout  thanksgiving  from  every  Christian 
heart.  Her  noble  pioneer  efforts  have  had  much  to  do  in 
producing  this  change,  and  their  influence  will  be  felt  for 
good  in  Western  India  in  all  coming  time. 

English  School. 

It  was  early  perceived  b}^  the  missionaries  that  facilities 
for  acquiring  the  English  language  would  be  effective  in 
bringing  a  more  hopeful  class  of  Hindu  youth  under  their 
Christian  teaching,  and  hence,  in  1835,  they  commenced  an 
English  school,  Tvhich  they  "  hoped  would  grow  into  an  im- 
portant institution." 

In  1840  we  find  this  school  prospering,  under  the  care  ot 
Mr.  Burgess,  with  some  thirty  students,  and  the  missionaries 
say:  "It  seems  to  be  gaining  favor  with  the  people,  and 
promises  to  accomplish  much  good." 

Two  years  later  we  find  the  missionaries  rejoicing  in  the 
large  amount  of  Christian  truth  imparted  to  the  young  men 
in  this  school.  They  describe  the  thorough  course  of  Christ- 
ian instruction,  and  the  frequent  visits  of  the  pupils  to  their 
houses  for  books  and  conversation.  "  In  short,"  they  say, 
"  there  are  many  wa3"S  in  which  the  existence  of  the  school 
aflbrds  an  opportunity  of  exerting  an  influence  on  a  class 
of  people  who,  comparatively  speaking,  are  not  reached  by 
our  other  operations.  It  is  attended  by  the  sons  of  some  of 
the  first  families  in  the  city."  .  .  "  But  we  must  not  for- 
get that  the  growth  of  seminaries  and  colleges  in  heathen 
lands  is  gradual.  The  present  generation  of  missionaries 
must  cease  from  their  labors  before  seeing  but  little  more 
than  a  beginning  of  what  will  one  day,  by  the  divine  bless- 
ing, be  seen  in  Ahmednuggur." 

In  full  sympathy  with  this  feeling  the  officers  of  the  Board 
added  :  "  One  important  object  aimed  at  in  teaching  English, 
is  to  open  to  a  portion  of  those  great  communities  the  trea- 
sures of  religious  and  other  useful  kinds  of  knowledge 
which  are  stored  up  in  that  language." 

It  was  an  object  of  desire  to  induce  the  high-caste  pupils 


AIIMEDNUGGUR   MISSION   SEMINART.  1G3 

of  this  English  school  to  come  into  the  seminary  on  the 
same  footing  with  the  middle  and  low  castes.  In  the  infan- 
cy of  the  mission  it  was  impossible  to  effect  this,  but  as  they 
came  to  value  more  the  instruction  and  acquaintance  of  the 
missionaries,  their  prejudices  gradually  gave  wa}^,  and  in 
1843  the  two  schools  were  united,  English  being  the  induce- 
ment which  brought  and  held  them  under  the  influence  of 
the  missionaries. 

Ahmednuggur  Mission  Seminary. 

At  the  origin  of  this  mission  the  officers  of  the  Board 
drew  the  attention  of  its  missionaries  to  the  prosperous 
boarding-schools  of  our  brethren  on  the.  Island  of  Ceylon, 
and  earnestly  recommended  them  to  adopt  the  same  kind 
of  schools.  This  they  desired  to  do,  but  wrote :  ''  The  great 
hindrance  to  an  enterprise  of  this  kind  is  caste,  which  makes 
it  almost  impossible  to  obtain  boarding-scholars  of  sufficient 
promise." 

They  persisted  in  their  efforts,  however,  and  in  1836  we 
find  them  rejoicing  "  in  the  success  of  the  boarding*-school." 

This  school  was  always  known  as  the  "Ahmednuggur 
Mission  Seminary,"  and  "was  established  on  the  same 
principle  as  the  Batticotta  Seminary  in  Ceylon." 

It  was  not  till  1837  that  the  pupils  of  this  seminary  could 
be  persuaded  to  sleep  and  eat  on  the  mission  premises,  and 
the  event  marked  progress  which  caused  much  rejoicing. 
The  two  prevailing  motives  which  brought  pupils  into  this 
school  were,  the  teaching  of  English,  and  the  allowance  for 
food  and  clothing.  "  The  course  of  study  embraced  several 
years,  and  included  the  acquisition  of  English."  "  The 
annual  cost  of  the  institution  w^as  about  $1000." 

This  institution  was  an  object  of  special  desire  and  foster- 
ing care  with  the  Board.  In  the  reports  of  these  years  we 
fmd  repeated  resolutions  recommending  "to  the  Prudential 
Committee  to  foster  those  seminaries  already  in  o^Dcration, 
and  to  found  others  as  there  niay  be  opportunity,  with  the 
hope  of  supplying,  in  part,  the  deficiency  of  Christian  teach- 
ers from  this  countrv."     The  Committee  approved,  and  the 


IGl  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

missionaries  prosecuted  their  labors  in  these  seminaries  with 
heathen  teachers  and  pupils,  relying  on  the  efficacy  of  God's 
truth  and  Spirit  to  convert  these  heathen  3^onth,  to  whom 
they  were  looking  as  hereafter  to  supply  the  deficiency  of 
Christian  teachers.  And  their  trust  in  God  was  not  disap- 
pointed. These  institutions,  in  all  the  different  missions, 
have  more  than  realized  all  the  reasonable  hopes  that  were 
ever  based  upon  them. 

In  the  fifth  year  of  this  seminar}^  we  find  the  missionaries 
regretting . that  none  of  its  pupils  had  been  converted;  but 
they  add :  "  We  think  impressions  have  been  made  on  the 
minds  of  many  of  them,  which  will  prevent  them  from  ever 
eno-ao-iuo-  in  '  abominable  idolatries'  with  the  sincerity  of 
their  fathers,"  and  they  express  a  hope  that  some  of  them 
would  soon  share  in  the  grace  of  the  Gospel.  The  missiona- 
ries resolved  this  year,  1840,  at  their  annual  meeting,  that 
their  "  native  helpers  should  be  taught  the  English  language, 
so  as  to  enable  them  to  read  and  understand  the  English 
translation  of  the  Bible,  and  use  Enghsh  Commentaries." 
This  unbiased  estimate  of  the  value  of  English,  on  the  part 
of  the  missionaries,  is  worthy  of  permanent  record.  How 
strictly  the  uniform  views  and  practice  of  the  missionaries 
accord  with  those  earnest  pleadings  and  testimony  of  all  of 
us  in  1853  and  1854  ! 

This  seminary  was  specially  valued  by  the  missionaries, 
as  being,  with  the  schools  having  heathen  teachers,  the  only 
connecting  link  with  the  people  of  the  higher  castes.  For 
the  first  ten  years  of  its  existence,  not  one  of  its  pupils  was 
baptized,  but  the  missionaries  wavered  not  in  their  attach- 
ment to  it,  and  the  officers  of  the  Board  resolved  that: 
"From  the  position  which  this  seminary  sustains  to  the 
missionar}'  work,  it  obviously  has  strong  claims  to  the  sym- 
pathy and  prayers  of  Christians  in  this  country.  .  .  If 
the  Holy  Spirit  shall  descend  from  on  high,  bringing  deliv- 
erance for  these  youthful  captives  of  sin,  who  can  estimate 
the  value  of  the  influence  which  shall  go  forth  from  its 
walls  ?'^ 

The  Holy  Spirit  did  descend  upon  this  interesting  school. 


BO  ARDIIsT. -SCHOOLS.  Ifio 

After  its  first  ten  3-ears  its  history  is  marked  with  frequent 
seasons  of  special  religious  interest,  and  converts  were  gath- 
ered in  who  have  proved  most  valuable  helpers  in  the  mis- 
sionary work.  Notices  of  some  of  these  converts  will  be 
found  in  another  place,  and  will  be  readily  understood  as 
constituting  an  important  part  of  the  history  of  this  school. 

The  Christian  teaching  and  character  of  this  seminary 
may  be  inferred  from  the  following  extract,  taken  from  the 
rejDort  of  the  mission  for  18-48  : 

"  Much  religious  instruction  has  been  given  in  the  semi 
nar}'.  Mr.  Burgess  lias  usually  devoted  an  hour  to  such 
instruction  every  morning,  and  heard  regular  classes  in 
Scripture-lessons.  Mr.  Wilder  has  heard  similar  lessons, 
and  during  three  months  of  the  year  gave  lectures  three 
times  a  week  on  the  evidences  of  Christianity."  These  lec- 
tures were  given  mainly  for  the  benefit  of  the  native  preach- 
ers and  helpers  of  the  mission. 

Speaking  of  the  religious  interest  in  the  seminary,  the  re- 
port continues  :  "  Three  of  the  boys,  children  of  Christian 
parents,  asked  for  admission  to  the  Church,  and  others  were 
serious.  A  weekly  prayer-meeting  was  maintained,  attend- 
ed by  ten  or  twelve  of  the  boys.  .  .  I  have  learned  that 
four  of  the  lads  have  expressed  a  determination  to  be  on  the 
Lord's  side."     But  more  of  this  school  in  the  sequel. 

Boar  ding-Schools. 

The  other  boarding-schools  of  this  mission,  besides  the 
seminary,  were,  one  for  girls  and  a  second  for  boys  at  Ah- 
mednuggur,  one  for  each  sex  at  Seroor,  and  the  same  at 
Jalna,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Munger.  It  was  with 
much  difficulty  that  these  schools  were  started  at  first,  and 
for  four  or  five  years  we  find  the  missionaries  regretting  that 
"it  has  not  been  found  possible  to  get  up  boarding-uSchools," 
and  subsequently,  as  eai'ly  as  1839,  rejoicing  that  "  the  board- 
ing-schools were  found  to  present  inducements  sufficiently 
strong  to  hold  the  pupils  in  the  schools  despite  all  the  oppo- 
sition of  the  Brahmans.'' 

The}^  soon   report  the  presence  of  some  of  the  highest 


1^56  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

native  officials  of  government  at  the  examination  of  the  girls, 
and  rejoice  in  the  increasing  favor  and  promise  of  the  school. 
Mr.  French,  expressing  a  desire  to  increase  the  number  of 
his  boarding-scholars,  adds:  "A  school  of  this  description 
should  be  sustained  at  every  station." 

The  character  of  the  primary  boarding-school  for  boys  at 
Ahmedniiggur,  may  be  inferred  from  the  following  report : 
"As  the  offspring  of  native  church-members  form  a  large 
and  constantly  increasing  body  of  youth,  our  brethren  deem 
it  very  desirable  to  give  them  a  good  Christian  education. 
As  many  of  them,  moreover,  come  from  other  places,  and 
their  parents,  generally,  are  too  poor  to  support  them  away 
from  home,  a  small  sum  (usually  fifty  cents  a  month)  will  be 
appropriated  for  their  food,  clothing  and  stationery.  '  We 
think,'  says  Mr.  Ballantine,  '  that  money  spent  in  this  way 
will  be  profitably  laid  out ;  and  that  we  may  hope  for  as  val- 
uable results  from  it  as  from  any  other  expenditure.'  The 
correctness  of  this  opinion  the  Committee  see  no  reason  to 
call  in  question."  How  came  they  to  call  it  in  question 
three  or  four  years  later,  and  suddenly  interdict  this  very 
school  ?  And  how  came  this  good  Brother  B.  to  change  his 
views  just  as  suddenly  ? 

Of  the  Christian  influence  brought  to  bear  upon  the  pu- 
pils of  these  schools,  Mr.  B.  says : 

*'  We  might  say  some  of  them  exhibit  evidence  that  they 
have  experienced  the  renewing  influences  of  the  spirit  of 
God.  We  have  strong  hopes  in  regard  to  three  or  four  that 
such  is  the  case,  and  the  number  of  those  who  manifest  an 
interest  in  the  subject  of  religion  is  much  greater. 

"  The  influence  of  the  girls  upon  each  other  is  decidedly 
religious,  and  against  the  follies  of  heathenism.  Their  meet- 
ing together  for  prayer,  and  their  simple,  childlike  petitions, 
their  desire  for  pardon  and  for  assistance  to  resist  sin,  and 
their  prayers  for  their  friends,  exhibit  a  state  of  mind  which 
encourages  us  to  hope  that  they  do  know  something  of  the 
evil  of  sin,  and  of  the  importance  of  forsaking  and  resisting 
it,  and  of  seeking  divine  assistance  for  this  object.  And 
when  any  one  reproaches  them  with  the  intention  of  becom- 


BOARDING-SCHOOLS.  167 

iiig  Christians,  tliey  readily  own  their  preference  for  Christi- 
anity and  their  abhorrence  of  idoLitry.  They  are  free  to 
talk  to  their  parents  and  friends  on  the  subject,  and  evident- 
ly exert  a  great  influence  over  them.  Their  parents  fre- 
quently ask  them  to  read  to  them,  and  are  interested  in 
hearing  some  story  from  the  Bible,  or  some  other  good 
book." 

Of  one  of  the  girls,  Mr.  B.  wrote:  "She  often  converses 
with  her  parents  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  the  mother 
especially,  has  learned  much  truth  from  her,  but  is  afraid  to 
vield  to  it." 

Frequent  notices  of  this  kind  show  tlie  happy  influence 
of  these  schools  on  adults  as  well  as  the  children.  It  is  even 
added :  "  The  parents  themselves,  are  also  brought  under 
religious  instruction.  Mrs.  B.  takes  the  mothers  by  them- 
selves, and  reads  to  them  a  portion  of  ScrijDture,  and  con- 
verses with  them.  She  thus  learns  their  feelings,  which 
they  sometimes  express  very  freely.  Some  of  them  tell  us 
they  have  entirely  given  up  the  worship  of  idols." 

Of  two  little  girls  who  died  while  in  the  boarding-school, 
the  hope  is  expressed  that  Christian  instruction  had  been 
blest  to  their  salvation.  The  elder  belonged  to  the  little 
company  of  girls  who  used  to  meet  for  prayer,  and  the  mis- 
sionary writes:  "We  can  not  but  hope  she  is  now  with  her 
Saviour,  whom  she  wished  to  acknowledge  publicly  before 
the  world.  She  had  learned  from  dear  Mrs.  Burgess'  deatli, 
how  to  die,  calmly  trusting  in  Jesus,  and  her  death  was  so 
peaceful,  that  even  her  heathen  parents  wondered  and  re- 
joiced that  their  daughter  could  exhibit  such  peace  and  joy- 
ful trust  in  the  Saviour,  on  her  death-bed. 

"Her  cousin  was  very  young,  but  when  near  death,  entreat- 
ed her  mother  to  lie  quiet  that  she  might  pray  to  the  true 
God,  and  then  repeated  the  first  four  conimandments  and 
the  Lord's  prayer,  and  died." 

Speaking  of  the  deep  impression  thus  made  on  young 
minds  by  Christian  instruction,  the  missionaries  say :  "  May 
we  not  hope  that  lie  who  said,  '  Suffer  little  children  to 
come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,'  will  accept  as  his,  this 


1(38  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Mlinost  infant  who  bad  learned  to  pray  the  prayer  he 
taught?  The  circumstances  of  her  death  as  well  as  of  the 
other,  encourae'e  us  to  continue  to  labor  for  such  children." 
''  A  laro^er  number  than  before  are  now  accustomed  to  meet 
regularly  for  prayer,  as  well  as  to  pray  alone.  Even  the 
smaller  girls  soon  come  under  the  influence  of  Christian 
truth.  Some  of  the  mothers,  too,  seem  to  be  much  interest- 
ed in  the  subject  of  religion." 

Estimate  of  the  Schools   by  the  Missionaries. 

The  extracts  already  quoted  furnish  abundant  evidence 
of  the  high  estimate  of  these  schools  in  the  views  and  prac- 
tice of  the  missionaries.  But  as  their  honest  views  have 
been  widely  misrepresented  by  some,  it  is  proper  to  place 
their  testimony  on  record  a  little  more  at  length. 

Of  their  village  schools,  with  heathen  teachers,  the  mis- 
sionaries say,  in  1838  :  "We  can  not  expect  to  superintend 
our  village  schools  so  closely  as  those  in  town,  but  then  they 
form  an  important  part  of  our  operations.  In  making  tours 
we  always  direct  our  first  attention  to  the  villages  where  our 
schools  are  situated,  and  generally  find  the  people  better 
prepared  than  in  other  places  for  hearing  and  understanding 
the  word  of  this  salvation.  And  we  can  pursue  any  sys- 
tematic course  we  jDlease  in  visiting  and  instructing  them." 

Thus  these  schools  in  the  villages,  least  effectively  super- 
intended, were  regarded  as  very  valuable  agencies,  notwith- 
standing their  heathen  teachers,  and  preaching- tours  in  such 
villages  were  most  satisfactory  and  useful. 

When  some  of  this  class  of  schools  were  broken  up  by  the 
opposition  of  the  priests,  rejoicing  in  the  amount  of  good 
already  accomplished  by  them,  Mr.  Ballantine  writes:  "  Con- 
siderable knowledge  of  divine  truth  has  been  communicated 
bv  their  means,  and  the  impression  has  been  made  that 
Christianity  stands  on  such  a  foundation  that  idolatry  is  in 
great  danger  before  it.  All  that  ice  have  given  for  the  support 
of  these  schools  has,  we  iht7iJi\  been  tvell  hestowedy 

Of  this  same  class  of  schools  at  Jaliia,  regretting  that  he 
could  not  have  more  of  them,  Mr.  Munger  says:   "They 


ESTIMATE   OF   THE    SCHOOLS    BV    MT.SSTOXARTES.       169 


i 


have  imdoubledly  been  the  means  of  good.  Tbey  liave 
communicated  some  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  salvation 
to  many  families,  whose  prospects  at  the  day  of  judgment 
will  wear  a  very  different  aspect  from  what  they  would  had 
not  these  schools  been  established  among  them."  "  The 
readiness  with  which  the  children  study  their  Christian  les- 
sons is  particularly  gratifying."  "  I  have  found  both  teach- 
ers and  scholars  much  interested  in  the  historical  parts  of 
the  Scriptures." 

The  impression  has  been  made  on  some  minds  that  the 
care  of  such  schools  detracts  from  the  preaching  time  and 
character  of  the  missionary.  The  fact  is,  they  increase  his 
facilities  for  preaching  many  fold.  On  this  point  Mr.  Hun- 
ger writes:  "Tlie  measure  of  attention  which  I  give  to 
these  schools  is  far  from  being  any  impediment  to  the  higher 
duties  of  m}'  calling.  On  the  contrary,  they  afford  the 
means  of  gaining  a  more  ready  access  to  the  people,  and 
giving  an  illustration  of  the  beneficial  tendencies  of  the 
Gospel." 

Reporting  his  Sabbath  audience  as  depending  on  "the 
children  and  teachers  of  his  schools,"  Mr.  Munger  says: 
'*  Street-preaching,  as  might  be  expected,  is  becoming  less 
popular.  It  is  now  more  difficult  to  find  people  who  will 
listen  to  the  message  of  a  Saviour's  love.  They  even  seem 
to  avoid  me."  This  testimony,  of  one  who  has  spent  much 
time  in  preaching-tours,  illustrates  the  fact  before  stated,  that 
alms,  medicine,  schools,  or  money  direct,  must  be  used  as 
means  for  gathering  a  permanent^  stated  audience  in  India. 
It  is  well  for  the  Christian  public  to  note  how  uniformly 
missionaries  have  been  driven  to  one  of  these  appliances, 
and  how  extensively  they  have  employed  schools  as  the 
agency  which  secures  the  most  promising  class  of  hearers, 
and  appeals  to  the  worthiest  motives.  '-^.''^ 

The  testimony  of  the  whole  mission  accords  with  that  of 
Mr.  Munger  on  this  point.  Of  bazaar-preaching  the  Report 
for  1840  says  :  "  We  found  so  much  angry  discussion,  and 
so  little  apparent  desire  to  become  acquainted  with  the  truth, 
that  we  were  led  to  think  it  was  better  to  make  use  prin- 

8     .  .     •■    •  -••  --^^      ^- 


170  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

cipally  of  our  regular  places  for  preaching  on   our  own 
premises." 

On  the  other  hand,  even  their  preaching- toiirs  led  them 
to  value  their  schools  more  than  ever  before.  Messrs.  Bur- 
gess and  Ballantine,  closing  a  report  of  a  long  preaching- 
tour,  say:  "In  view  of  our  tour  we  would  remark  that,  ij 
possihleyice  are  more  than  ever  before  convinced  of  the  great  im- 
portance of  schools  among  this  people.  In  those  villages  where 
the  mission  has  had  schools,  w'e  met  with  the  best  reception, 
and  found  the  greatest  number  of  readers.  When  we  came 
to  a  village  where  there  were  few  or  no  readers,  we  could 
not  but  feel  that  it  was  comparatively  of  but  little  use  to 
stop  and  labor." 

Messrs.  French  and  Abbott,  on  a  similar  tour,  wrote : 
''This  village,  Sonay,  contains  some  two  hundred  houses 
and  only  eight  or  ten  readers.  The  reason  is,  they  have 
had  no  school  for  many  years.  We  saw  here,  as  we  often 
do  in  other  places,  the  importance  of  schools." 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  schools  thus  spoken  of 
were  scattered  in  the  villao'es,  and  tauo-ht  bv  hfathen  teach- 
ers.  The  mission  report  goes  on  to  say :  "  We  attach  great 
importance  to  these  schools.  The  class  of  men  educated  in 
our  schools,  and  soon  to  appear  on  the  stage  of  action,  will 
be  addressed  by  the  missionary  under  much  more  favorable 
circumstances  than  their  fathers,  who  grew  up  in  ignorance. 
Besides,  the  school  is  even  noiv  a  standing  recommendation  of 
Hie  missionary  to  the  peopjh  whose  children  attend  it^  and  to  their 
neighbors.  The  school-house  is  a  good  2yr(^ctchingp)laceyand  the 
truths  taught  in  the  school  make  an  excellent  basis  for  religious 
instruction.^^ 

After  giving  some  details  of  a  preaching-tour,  Mr.  B. 
says :  "  From  these  facts  the  importance  of  schools  is  evi- 
dent. Even  when  a  school  is  kept  up  in  a  village  but  a 
few  months,  the  advantages  are  probably  more  than  com- 
mensurate with  the  expense.  Our  elementary  books  contain 
the  fundamental  truths  of  Christian  it}',  and  for  thirty  or 
forty  children  to  have  committed  these  truths  to  memory 
we  regard  as  a  matter  of  great  importance.     It  is  sufficient. 


ESTIMATE   OF   THE   SCHOOLS   BY   MISSIONARIES.       171 

with  God's  blessing,  to  save  the  soul.  Even  if  the  teachers 
are  heathen^  and  endeavor  to  teach  heathenism,  yet  they  are 
obliged  to  teacb  Christianity  or  lose  their  wages.  The  vil- 
lagers where  our  schools  are  located  are  far  more  favorable 
to  us,  and  more  willing  to  listen  to  our  instruction,  and  what 
is  perhaps  of  still  greater  importance,  the  teachers  them- 
selves are  subjected  to  a  course  of  study  of  religious  truth, 
which  could  be  secured  from  them  in  no  other  situation. 
The  two  Brahman  converts  of  which  you  have  beard  were 
heathen  teachers,  and  now,  w^hile  I  am  writing,  two  other 
teachers,  interesting  and  talented  young  men,  are  candidates 
for  baptism,  and  others  still  are  evidently  thinking  on  the 
subject  of  their  souls'  salvation.  Such  results,  considering 
the  small  number  of  our  schools,  are  exceedingly  cheering. 
Oh  !  that  we  had  the  means  of  establishing  a  school  in  every 
village  within  fifty  miles  of  us.  Want  of  funds  is  now  the 
most  prominent  obstacle  in  the  way  of  accomplishing  what 
we  would  in  this  department."  Again,  after  having  spent  a 
large  amount  of  time  and  labor  in  preaching-tours,  the  mis- 
sionaries say  :  ''  These  tours  seem  to  be  interesting  and  use- 
ful, especially  when  made  to  places  where  there  are  out- 
stations,  schools^  or  Christian  families." 

This  seems  to  be  a  proper  estimate  of  preaching-tours.  I 
have  spent  several  months  nearly  every  year  of  my  life  in 
India  on  such  tours,  sometimes  travelling  hundreds  of  miles 
into  the  darker  regions  of  heathenism,  visiting  celebrated 
shrines,  thronged  often  with  a  hundred  thousand  pilgrims, 
and  at  other  times  restricting  my  labors  to  the  villages  in 
the  near  vicinity  of  m}^  own  station.  I  value  this  kind  of 
labor,  but  experience  has  convinced  me  that  its  value  is 
very  much  less  than  that  of  schools.  It  is  a  department  of 
labor  preeminently  preparatory.  It  is  well  to  break  up 
fallow  ground,  but  it  yields  no  immediate  fruit,  and  he  who 
devotes  all  his  time,  and  money,  and  labor  to  this  single 
branch  of  business  will  soon  find  his  family  starving,  and 
himself  a  bankrupt.  But  for  schools  in  the  Ahmednuggur 
mission  the  results  of  labor  would  have  been  meagre,  and 
mostly  confined  to  the  poor-house  to  the  present  time. 


172  T»rissioN  SCHOOLS. 

Estimate  of  the   Schools  by  the    Board. 

Tbe  missionaries  affirm  that  all  these  schools  originated 
at  the  express  wish  and  advice  of  the  home  Officers  of  the 
Board,  and  their  statement  is  sustained  by  good  evidence. 
This  is  found  not  only  in  the  manuscript  letters  of  the  Se- 
cretary through  all  the  first  twenty  years  of  the  niission,  but 
also  in  \hQ  Missionary  Herald  and  the  frequent  resolutions 
passed  at  annual  meetings.  Some  of  these  resolutions  have 
been  incidentally  quoted  already.  We  will  not  repeat  them. 
But  of  the  many  others  which  abound  in  the  reports  and 
organs  of  the  Board  take  the  following,  in  1842.  Some  of 
the  village  schools  with  heat! ten  teachers  had  been  broken 
up  by  the  opposition  of  the  priests,  whereupon  the  Herald^ 
grieving  for  their  loss,  declares  :  "  Schools  of  this  kind  are 
too  important  an  auxiliary  to  the  missionary  to  be  aban- 
doned." Who  can  avoid  the  inquirj-,  If  this  was  true  in 
1842,  why  not  equally  so  in  1852  ? 

For  eight  subsequent  years  the  testimony  is  unvarying. 
In  1848  the  Annual  Eeport  of  the  Board  says:  "Their 
schools  are  in  a  more  prosperous  and  promising  condition 
than  at  any  previous  time.  The  Spirit  of  God  has  been 
present  in  some  of  them,  manifesting  his  renewing  power 
in  the  conversion  of  some  of  the  pupils." 

Again  in  1850,  "  In  regard  to  the  mission  at  Ahmednug- 
gur,  your  committee  particularly  notice  the  prosperous  state 
of  the  schools."  Of  the  seminary  they  say  :  ^^This  institution 
seems  especially  to  call  for  commendation.'''' 

Why,  oh  !  why  the  sudden  and  unaccountable  change  of 
feeling  in  regard  to  these  schools  and  this  promising  semi- 
nary the  very  next  spring  ! 

But  we  will  not  anticipate.  The  earnest  and  frequent 
commendations  of  all  these  schools  up  to  1851,  are  on  record 
in  the  organs  of  the  Board,  and  we  need  not  quote  more  of 
them  here. 

Estimate  of  the  Schools  by  Europeans. 

There  is  no  department  of  missionary  labor  in  India  which 
has  so  generally  secured   the  warm  approval,  interest,  and 


ESTIMATE   OF   THE   SCHOOLS   BY   EUROPEANS.  173 

cooperation  of  European  'Christians  there  on  the  ground  as 
our  schools.  This  fact  is  deserving  of  notice  by  the  friends 
of  missions  in  Christian  lands.  The  judgment  of  disinter- 
ested men  on  the  spot,  with  an  eye  to  all  our  operations, 
ought  to  be  of  more  value  than  theories  devised  by  stran- 
gers, at  the  distance  of  half  the  circumference  of  the  globe. 

The  estimate  and  interest  of  European  Christians  in  these 
schools  is  attested  by  their  generous  donations  for  their  sup- 
port. No  other  branch  of  our  labors  has  elicited  from  them 
such  ready  and  generous  aid.  In  the  infancy  of  the  mission 
"  the  girls'  schools  were  supported  by  the  European  ladies." 
When  some  of  the  schools  were  broken  up  by  the  financial 
crisis  of  1837,  "  the  European  residents  subscribed  some 
R3.5OOO  for  these  schools.  This  enabled  the  mission  to  sus- 
tain the  seminary  and  some  of  the  other  schools."  At 
,Talna,  in  1838,  Mr.  Munger's  boarding-school  and  some  of 
the  free  schools  were  supported  by  the  English  residents.  At 
a  later  date,  uro-ine;  the  Prudential  Committee  to  send  moi'e 
laborers,  Mr.  Munger  says  :  "  Will  you  not  regard  the  readi- 
ness of  the  Europeans  here  to  relieve  you  of  the  entire  ex- 
pense of  native  education,  as  an  indication  of  its  being  the 
Lord's  will  that  you  sustain  these  labors  ?  Give  us  a  helper, 
and  I  will  pledge  myself  to  furnish  funds  adequate  to  the 
educational  purposes  of  the  station  so  long  as  the  great  Head 
of  the  Church  shall  continue  me  here." 

The  ready  liberality  of  our  European  friends  for  the  sup- 
port of  these  schools  will  be  remembered,  as  it  came  to  view 
in  the  history  of  the  Bombay  mission.  AYhen  our  Pru- 
dential Committee  called  for  retrenchment  in  the  schools  of 
our  Ahmednuggur  mission,  in  1848,  I  mentioned  our  emer- 
gency to  a  dear  English  friend,  the  chaplain  of  the  station, 
and  in  a  few  days  he  brought  me  some  Rs.  1500 — enough  to 
support  all  our  schools  the  balance  of  the  year.  In  our  new 
mission  at  Kolapoor,  where  our  Deputation  interdicted  all 
our  schools,  those  same  schools  were  always  supported  by 
our  European  friends,  not  a  farthing  of  their  expense  ever 
havinor  come  from  the  home  funds  of  the  Board.  Facts  and 
evidence  on  this  point  might  be  adduced  to  almost  auy  ex- 


174  MISSION   SCHOOLS, 

tent.  But  it  is  not  necessary.  The  views  of  our  European 
friends,  and  the  practice  of  European  missionaries  in  regard 
to  schools,  are  becoming  pretty  well  understood  in  America, 

Do  Heathen  Teachers  counteract  Christian  Instruction  ? 

But  some  object  to  these  schools  that  the  lieathen  teach- 
ers employed  in  them  counteract  the  influence  of  Christian 
teaching.  We  might  meet  this  objection  as  Mr.  B.  has,  by 
saying,  "  They  are  obliged  to  teach  the  Christian  lessons  or 
they  receive  no  pay,"  and  when  divine  truth  is  communi- 
cated to  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  pupils  and  teachers  ot 
these  schools  we  my  safely  lecive  results  to  Grod. 

A  more  conclusive  reply  to  this  objection  is  found  in  the 
actual  conversions  which  have  resulted  from  such  schools, 
and  this  will  be  noted  when  we  speak  of  the  conversion  of 
heathen  teachers.  But  in  the  mean  time,  what  mean  such 
paragraphs  in  the  mission  reports  as  the  following  ? — 

"  An  interesting  fact  occurred  a  few  days  ago  in  connec- 
tion with  the  teacher  of  one  of  our  village  schools.  Hurri- 
punt  went  out  to  examine  the  school,  and  the  teacher  re- 
turned in  company  with  him.  Their  time  was  occupied  in 
conversing  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  the  objections  of 
the  teacher  were  all  answered  one  by  one,  till  at  length  he 
acknowledged  that  his  course  was  wrong  and  the  Christian 
religion  was  right.  A  few  days  after,  he  called  at  the  house 
of  one  of  us,  bringing  with  him  a  friend  whom  he  wished  to 
convince  of  the  truth,  of  Christianity.  During  the  conversa- 
tion which  followed,  lie  would  often  add  his  voice  on  the 
side  of  the  missionarj^,  and  endeavor  to  show  his  friend  that 
all  idolatry  was  wrong  and  the  Christian  religion  true." 

May  we  not  trust  the  truth  of  God  even  in  the  hands  of 
heathen  teachers  when  it  produces  such  results  ?  But  let  us 
take  the  testimony  of  the  missionaries  themselves  on  this 
point.  In  1842,  Mr.  Ballantine  v/rites :  "Of  some  of  our 
[lieathen]  teachers  v/e  can  say  with  safety,  that  their  influ- 
ence over  their  pupils  is  not  in  favor  of  heathenism,  .  . 
but  on  the  contrary  much  of  their  instruction  goes  to  the 
subversion  of  heathenism.     Such  being  the  case,  and  as  we 


THE  SCHOOL-GIRL  AND   THE   LOKD's  TRAYER.        176 

hope  that  these  teachers  themselves  will  be  benefited  by  the 
truth  which  they  have  such  good  opportunities  to  learn,  we 
tire  content  to  employ  them,  although  still  heathen,  especially 
as  the  effort  to  sustain  these  schools  loith  Christian  teachers^  in 
case  we  had  Christian  teachers  for  the  purpose^  would  probably 
result  in  the  immediate  withdrawal  of  all  the  scholars  under  our 
influenced 

This  testimony  of  Mr.  B.  is  worthy  of  permanent  record, 
as  also  the  comment  of  the  officers  of  the  Board,  namely : 
*'  The  foregoing  extract  sho^ys  well  how  the  free  primary 
school  patronized  by  the  mission,  and  that,  too,  while  under 
the  instruction  of  men  who  have  not  yet  renounced  heathen- 
ism, may  be  an  excellent  channel  for  conveying  Christian  know- 
hdge  to  the  minds  of  the  pupih^  the  teachers^  the  parents,  and  the 
friends  of  all  connected  -with  the  schoolsJ'' 

Now  place  these  statements  by  the  side  of  those  of  Mr.  B. 
and  the  Deputation  in  their  reports  and  doings  in  1854,  and 
■whence,  oh  !  whence  the  sudden  and  total  change  ! 

The  School-Girl  and  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

In  this  connection,  take  the  following  incident  which  oc- 
curred in  one  of  Miss  Farrar's  girls'  schools,  taught  by  hea- 
then teachers.  Besides  chapters  in  the  Bible,  Christian 
hymns,  catechisms,  and  the  like,  all  the  little  girls  were 
taught  to  repeat  the  Lord's  prayer.  Many  of  them  learned 
to  do  it  devoutly,  and  with  a  clear  understanding  of  its  im- 
port. Among  these  was  a  sweet  Uttle  girl  of  thoughtful 
brow,  who  showed  special  fondness  for  this  praj^er.  One 
day  her  father  came  to  the  school  and  listened  long  and  at- 
tentively to  the  lessons  of  the  girls.  When  they  repeated 
the  Lord's  prayer,  he  asked  many  questions  about  it,  and 
told  Miss  Farrar  that  his  little  daughter  "  every  night  when 
she  lay  down,  and  everj^  morning  when  she  arose,  always 
covered  her  face  with  her  blanket  and  repeated  that  prayer." 
lie  added  that  at  first  he  did  not  understand  what  it  meant, 
and  when  he  asked  her,  she  told  him  "this  was  the  way  to 
worship  the  true  God." 

In  giving  an  account  of  this  incident  some  months  after 


l76  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

it  occurred,  the  missionary  wrote  :  "  The  little  girl  still  con- 
tinues to  pray.  The  father  also  comes  to  the  chapel  on  the 
Sabbath,  though  previous  to  the  establishment  of  this  girls' 
school  he  was  entirely  unknown  to  us."  How  happil}^  this 
case  illustrates  the  influence  of  those  schools  both  on  the 
tender  minds  of  the  childi-en  and  on  the  harder  hearts  of  their 
parents  and  friends. 

Pupils  of  a  Heathen  Teacher  throw  away  the  Idols. 

Of  much  the  same  significance  is  the  following  incident, 
which  occurred  in  a  school  of  Mahar  boj-s,  taught  by  a 
heathen  teacher.  The  report  of  the  mission  gives  it  in  sim- 
ple terms  as  follows : 

''  The  teacher  seems  to  be  much  engaged  in  instructing 
his  scholars  in  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and  the  result  is 
very  encouraging.  The  boys  not  only  refuse  to  worship 
idols  themselves,  but  laugh  at  their  parents  for  their  folly 
in  bowing  down  to  wood  and  stone  ;  and  they  have  actually 
gone  so  far  as  to  pull  up  and  throw  away  the  idol  gods  in  their 
jmrt  of  the  village^  much  to  the  astonishment  and  confusion 
of  their  elders.  Probably  none  of  the  boys  belonging  to  the 
higher  castes  would  be  allowed  to  exhibit  so  much  opposi- 
tion to  long-established  customs,  without  being  removed 
from  the  school.  But  here,  so  far  from  this  being  the  case, 
the  parents  appear  more  friendly  to  the  truth  than  ever." 
The  report  goes  on  to  state  that  formerly  the  native  helpers 
v;ere  much  abused  in  that  same  village,  but  now  the  people 
were  conciliated,  listened  attentively  to  Christian  instruction, 
and  "  acknowledo-ed  that  the  word  of  God  is  indeed  the 
truth."  All  this  the  result  of  one  little  school,  costing  some 
three  dollars  a  month.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  mission- 
aries valued  such  schools,  held  on  to  them  as  long  as  they 
could,  and  plead  for  them  with  most  forcible  arguments  and 
earnest  entreaties  ? 

Conversion  of  Pupils. 

We  have  ali'eady  seen  how  the  hearts  of  very  young 
pupils  even  were  affected  by  the  truth,  and  that,  too,  in  the 
schools  taught  by  heathen  teachers.     There  is  sufficient  evi- 


RAMKORE   AND   HER   ^rOTHER.  177 

dence  that  many  of  them  were  truly  converted.  The 
weighty  charge  tabled  against  these  schools  by  the  Deputa- 
tion was,  that  no  converts  had  been  gathered  from  them. 
It  is  a  fact  that  when  pupils  in  these  schools  showed  much 
promise  and  interest  in  Christian  truth,  they  were  taken  into 
the  boarding-schools,  and  thus  brought  more  closely  under 
the  influence  and  protection  of  the  missionaries  before  their 
baptism.  But  to  disparage  and  disallow  these  training- 
schools  for  this  reason,  would  be  just  as  sensible  as  to  dis- 
allow all  the  academics  and  colleges  for  training  ministers  in 
Christian  lands,  because  none  become  ministers  till  they 
enter  the  higher  seminaries.  Besides,  our  boarding-schools, 
too,  -were  interdicted  by  the  Deputation,  and  certainly  this 
plea  could  not  be  urged  against  them.  The  converts  re- 
ceived to  the  Church  from  this  class  of  schools  are  numer- 
ous, and  still  among  the  brightest  lights  of  our  Christian 
communities  in  India.  Our  limits  forbid  us  to  specif)^  many 
of  these  cases  in  detail ;  but  take  one  among  the  first  fruits 
of  our  girls'  boarding-school. 

Ramkore  and  her  Mother. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  mission  there  appeared  at 
Ahmednuggur  a  lone  woman,  of  good  caste,  leading  by  tlie 
hand  a  little  girl.  Her  countenance  was  sorrowful.  She 
was  a  widow,  and  the  child  fatherless.  Left  destitute  in  the 
distant  village  where  her  husband  died,  she  had  travelled  on 
foot  seventy  miles,  alternately  leading  and  carrying  this  little 
girl,  her  only  child,  till  she  reached  the  city  of  Ahmednug- 
gur. Wherefore  did  she  come  ?  She  had  been  told  that  in 
this  city  she  had  a  wealthy  uncle,  and  she  hoped  he  might 
befriend  her  and  her  orphan  child.  But  he  received  her 
coldly,  and,  after  subsisting  a  few  days  on  the  charity  of 
strangers,  her  troubled  thoughts  reverted  to  the  stint?d 
kindness  of  some  poor  neighbors  in  her  distant  village  at 
the  time  of  her  bereavement,  and  taking  her  little  girl  by 
the  hand,  she  turned  her  back  upon  the  city,  and  started  on 
her  weary  journey  to  the  village  where  had  been  her  home. 

She  could  illv  conceal  her  sorrow,  and  as  she  was  passing 


178  MISSION   SCH00T>5S. 

througli  the  city  gate,  a  Hindu  wlao  had  seen  her  at  her 
uncle's  door,  and  learned  her  sad  story,  felt  some  movings 
of  pity,  and  thus  addressed  her  :  "  Good  woman,  where  are 
you  going  ?"  Choking  with  grief,  she  replied  :  "  Back  to 
my  village,  Maharaj  ;  we  can  not  live  here."  "But  you'll 
die  by  the  way !  where  will  you  get  bread  ?"  Bursting  into 
tears,  she  confessed  her  only  resource  was  in  the  charity  of 
those  who  might  feel  compassion  for  her.  "Yonder,"  said 
the  Hindu,  pointing  to  a  part  of  the  city  where  lived  the 
missionaries — "yonder  live  some  white  people  whom  we 
call  ^  Padre  soJiib.^  They  are  not  like  the  English  who  come 
here  and  rule  over  us.  They  are  white  like  them,  and  talk 
like  them.  But  they  say  their  country  is  still  farther  away, 
beyond  another  great  sea.  And  really  they  are  a  very  good 
sort  of  people.  They  take  no  money  from  us,  but  show 
great  kindness.  They  establish  schools  for  our  children, 
and  teach  them  to  read,  and  many  useful  things.  In  one  of 
their  schools  they  even  give  the  little  girls  food  to  eat  and 
clothes  to  wear.  The  only  trouble  is,  their  religion  is  diifer- 
ent  from  ours,  and  some  of  our  people  have  become  defiled 
(Christians)  like  them,  and  that  makes  us  afraid  of  them. 
But  reall}^,  they  are  ver}^  kind  peo])le,  and  if  you  are  not 
afraid  your  little  girl  will  become  defiled,  3^ou  might  take 
her  there,  and  they  would  take  care  of  her." 

The  poor  woman  listened  with  conflicting  feelings.  She 
cast  a  glance  at  her  child,  and  then  looked  in  the  direction 
the  Hindu  had  pointed.  The  act  was  repeated  again  and 
again,  and  still  she  hesitated.  The  thought  of  her  little 
daughter's  becoming  defiled  was  terrible.  But  after  a  little, 
taking  the  child  by  the  hand,  she  turned  back  through  the 
lanes  of  the  city,  and  they  soon  appeared  at  the  door  of  the 
missionar3^ 

Little  Ramkore  was  welcomed  to  the  school,  and  maternal 
affection  kept  the  mother,  too,  within  reach  of  daily  Christ- 
ian instruction. 

Our  next  notice  of  this  interesting  girl  is  in  the  language 
of  the  missionaries.  They  say :  "  Ramkore  is  now  about 
ten  years  old,  and  has  long  seemed  to  love  the  truth.     She 


RAMKOEE   AND   HER   MOTHER.  179 

is  naturally  of  a  von-  mild  disposition,  and  one  of  the  most 
lovely  girls  in  the  scliool.  Some  months  ago  a  neighbor 
came  to  her  mother,  and  begged  this  little  girl  in  marriage 
for  her  son.  The  mother  consulted  the  daughter.  Ram- 
kore's  first  question  was,  '  Is  he  a  Christian  ?'  and  when  told 
that  he  was  not,  she  replied  that  she  would  never  marry  any 
one  that  was  not  a  Christian.  Her  mother  reminded  her 
that  she  would  probably  never  find  a  Christian  husband, 
when  she  at  once  repeated  her  resolute  purpose  never  to 
marry  an  idolater." 

A  little  further  on  in  the  reports  of  this  mission,  we  find 
an  interesting  account  of  this  mother's  conversion  and  bap- 
tism. Brought  thus  incidentally  under  the  influence  of  the 
Gospel,  coming  at  first  with  hesitation  and  trembling,  lest 
her  child  should  become  a  Christian,  that  mother's  heart  is 
touched  and  converted  ;  and  instead  of  fearing  her  little  girl 
will  become  a  Christian,  she  begins  to  pray  that  she  ma}^ — 
brings  her  forward  and  consecrates  her  to  the  true  God  in 
baptism.  AYhat  agency  did  God  employ  for  bringing  this 
heathen  mother  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth  ?  Does 
the  question  admit  of  any  doubt  ?  Is  not  the  agency  of  the 
school  clear  and  unmistakable  ? 

But  let  us  return  to  Ramkore.  The  missionaries  soon  say 
of  her :  "  We  do  hope  this  little  girl  is  already  a  child  of 
God.  She  has  long  seemed  to  love  the  society  of  Christians, 
the  reading  of  the  word  of  God,  and  the  exercise  of  prayer 
and  praise.  Still,  as  she  is  so  young,  being  only  about  ten 
years  old,  we  thought  it  best  that  she  should  be  baptized  on 
the  faith  of  her  mother.  Her  influence  upon  two  or  three 
of  her  companions  has  been  very  good,  and  our  hopes  have 
been  strongly  excited  in  regard  to  them." 

The  very  next  year  we  have  an  account  of  the  admission 
of  this  dear  girl,  and  her  three  companions,  to  the  fellowship 
of  the  Church,  as  the  first  fruits  of  the  girls'  boarding-school. 
Ramkore  still  lives  to  adorn  her  Christian  profession.  She 
presents  in  that  dark  land  the  pattern  of  a  frugal,  industri- 
ous, intelligent,  lovely,  Christian  wife  and  mother,  ti'aining 
her  children  in  the  fear  of  God,  a  true  helpmeet  for  her 


180  AIISSION    SCHOOLS. 

worthy  husband — a  native  pastor,  while  her  winning  and 
elevating  inflaence  upon  all  around  her  is  precious  as  oint- 
ment poured  forth.  Her  aged  mother,  too,  lives  with  her, 
and  pleasant  must  be  their  remembrance  of  all  the  way  by 
which  the  Lord  has  led  them. 

In  tracing  the  history  of  this  girls'  boarding-school,  we 
find  frequent  notices  like  the  following  : 

'*  One  of  the  girls  has  been  admitted  to  the  Church  during 
the  year,  and  two  or  three  of  the  present  members  of  the 
school  desire  baptism." 

"In  November  one  of  the  girls,  and  two  other  young 
females  who  were  long  members  of  this  school,  were  re- 
ceived into  the  Church." 

"  We  should  not  omit  to  mention  that  four  or  five  of  the 
largest  girls  have  for  some  months  been  asking  for  baptism." 
And  again  :  "  Four  of  tliese  converts  were  girls  in  the 
boarding-school." 

The  records  of  the  mission  do  not  enable  us  to  determine 
what  proportion  of  the  converts  were  pupils  of  these  schools, 
but  it  was  very  large ;  and  then,  in  case  of  adult  converts, 
the  influence  of  the  schools  was  very  marked  in  all  of  them, 
and  the  case  of  Eamkore's  mother  would  illustrate  many  of 
them. 

Influence  of  Schools  on  Adults. 

The  facts  and  testimony  of  the  mission  on  this  point  de- 
serve more  specific  notice.  The  schools  have  uniformly 
proved  the  main  connecting  link  between  the  missionaries 
and  the  people.  The  advantages  of  the  boarding-schools 
became  extensively  known,  and  their  influence  in  eliciting 
interest  and  attention,  and  bringing  parents  and  friends  in 
connection  with  the  mission  for  the  sake  of  placing  their 
children  in  these  schools,  became  very  strong  and  manifest. 

When  one  of  the  pupils  of  the  seminary  died,  giving 
gratifying  evidence  that  lie  had  become  a  Christian,  ^ve 
jn)me4iately  find  that  his  dying  testimony  in  favor  of 
Christianity,  led  both  his  parents  to  come  to  the  mission  for 
instrjafCtion,     Mr.  Abbott  writes  : 

"  They  4e.terinined  to  come  and  hear  what  Christiauity  is. 


IXFLUENCE   OF   SCHOOLS   OX   ADULTS.  181 

They  left  their  homes  to  come  and  live  with  me.  They  had 
another  son  in  the  seminary,  and  they  immediately  put 
their  oldest  daughter  in  the  girl's  boarding-school.  From 
that  time  to  this,  the  father  has  been  persevering  in  learn- 
ing the  way  of  salvation.  He  has  now  learned  to  read^  and 
saj's  that  the  more  he  learns  of  Christianity  the  more  he 
likes  it.  He  says  he  thinks  he  has  given  his  heart  to  Christ, 
and  is  determined  to  serve  him  the  remainder  of  his  life." 

What  was  the  agency  blest  of  Grod  in  case  of  these  adults  ? 

Again  Mr.  A.  writes  : 

"  Various  opportunities  occur  of  giving  religious  instruc- 
tion to  a  great  many  people  who  are  in  some  way  connect- 
ed with  these  boys.  Their  mothers  and  sisters  usually 
bring  them  their  food,  to  whom  ^[rs.  A.  reads  and  con- 
verses while  the  boys  are  eating.  They  have  lately  be- 
come much  interested  in  this  exercise,  and  some  of  them 
have  manifested  a  good  deal  of  seriousness.  Owing  to  the 
marriage  connections  of  the  boys,  people  from  distant  vil- 
lages are  often  brought  around  us,  and  sometimes  stop  seve- 
ral days.  They  often  hear  from  us  for  the  first  time  the 
story  of  Christ."  Mr.  A.'s  lectures  and  experiments  in 
the  natural  sciences,  drew  large  audiences,  and  communi- 
cated much  valuable  instruction,  bearing  on  the  truth  of 
Christianity.  '"These  make  them  feel  that  if  God  had 
made  their  Shasters,  he  would  not  have  made  so  manv 
inistakes  on  this  and  many  other  subjects." 

Mrs.  Burgess,  while  in  charge  of  the  girls'  common 
schools  with  heathen  teachers,  was  often  heard  to  say : 
"  I  have  had  a  very  interesting  time  to-day.  I  regard 
these  schools  as  very  important."  In  her  visits  to  the 
schools,  she  often  had  crowds  of  women,  the  mothers  and 
neighbors  of  the  girls,  to  listen  to  her  instruction,  and  in 
this  way  much  Christian  truth  was  extensively  communi- 
cated in  the  most  winning  and  effective  manner. 

Speaking  of  the  ''  good  effected  by  the  girls'  boarding- 
school,"  and  giving  an  account  of  a  little  girl  in  it  who 
died,  leaving  good  evidence  of  piety,  Mr.  Ballantine  adds  : 
*'  We  hope  both  the  parents  of  this  little  girl  are  true  be- 


182  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

lievers  in  Christ.  Many  remarks  wliicli  they  make  show 
us  that  they  have  no  confidence  in  the  gods  of  the  hea- 
then." And  again  :  "  There  are  many  parents  of  girls  now 
here,  and  of  those  who  have  left,  iclio  owe  all  their  know- 
ledqe  of  Christian  truth  to  being  brought  into  connection  with  us 
hy  means  of  this  school^ 

Donbtless  this  estimate  of  the  schools  is  entirely  correct. 
They  have  ever  proved  very  effective  in  bringing  parents 
and  friends  of  the  pupils  under  the  influence  of  the  mission, 
and  of  stated  Christian  instruction,  and  then  the  Lord  has 
condescended  to  grant  his  blessing,  and  gather  them  into  the 
visible  Church. 

Eeporting  hopeful  cases  of  inquiry,  Mr.  B.  says  :  "  Yes- 
terday I  had  a  long  conversation  with  two  of  them.  One 
is  a  boy  who  has  been  brought  up  in  our  schools,  and  is  now 
a  teacher.  He  is  connected  with  the  principal  Brahman 
families  in  Ahmednuggur." 

These  schools  have  ever  been  necessary  to  secure  stated 
audiences,  especially  in  new  missions.  In  the  reports  of 
this  mission,  so  recently  as  1848  and  subsequentl}^,  we 
read :  "  The  majority  of  our  Sabbath  congregation  are 
connected  with  us,  or  are  members  of  our  schools."  The 
same  was  true  at  Seroor.  "  At  Bhingar  there  is  no  chapel, 
and  no  regular  congregation.  Mr.  Munger  spends  an  hour 
and  a  half  or  so,  on  the  Sabbath,  giving  religious  instruc- 
tion to  the  children  of  his  school,  when  more  or  less  of 
their  friends  and  others,  are  present."  If  these  schools 
were  necessary  to  secure  a  preaching  audience  in  a  mission 
of  fifteen  or  twenty  years'  growth,  how  much  more  necessary 
must  they  be  in  missions  newly  commenced  in  unbroken 
heathenism? 

It  appears  that  the  officers  of  the  Board  early  entei'tained 
an  idea,  probably  from  the  large  number  of  Mahar  inquirers 
and  converts,  that  these  Mahars,  like  the  Karens  of  Bur- 
mah,  were  to  be  converted  "  en  masse,"  and  thus  one  layer 
of  the  community  being  wholly  pervaded  by  the  spirit  of 
Christianity,  it  would  rapidly  extend  upward  through  the 
higher  castes.     This  expectation  was  probably  based  upon 


IXFLUEXCE   OF   SCHOOLS   ON    ADITTH.  18o. 

wrong  impressions  of  the  character  and  influence  of  this 
class  of  the  native  comnmnit}^ 

From  the  fact,  too,  that  many  of  the  Mahar  converts  be- 
longed in  the  villages  some  distance  from  Ahmedniiggur,  it 
seems  to  have  been  inferred  that  they  were  mainly  the  re- 
sult of  preaching- tours.  The  fact  that  the  schools  attracted 
them  from  their  villages  to  the  city,  that  they  came  and 
placed  their  children  in  the  schools,  and  generall_y  remained 
by  them,  sharing  the  benefit  of  stated  Christian  instruction 
for  years  —  this  seems  not  to  have  been  sufficiently  under- 
stood in  Boston.  Many  preaching- tours  were  performed, 
and^  the  missionaries  very  properly  say,  "  I^or  do  we  think 
all  these  tours  among  the  villages  are  vain,"  and  jQi  they 
frankly  admit,  "  We  have  not  yet  seen  much  immediate 
fruit  from  them  in  the  way  of  conversion;"  and  doubtless, 
in  the  honest  judgment  of  all  the  laborers  in  that  mission, 
these  schools  had  more  to  do  in  bringing  in  the  Mahar 
converts  than  any  and  all  other  agencies  combined.  The 
mothers  of  the  pupils  were  gathered  into  classes  and  daily 
taught  to  read,  and  Christian  truth  impressed  upon  their 
minds.  The  same  was  done  with  many  of  their  fathers, 
and  when  these  adults  were  converted,  as  many  of  them 
were,  they  might  almost  as  properly  be  classified  as  fruits 
of  the  schools,  as  if  tbey  had  been  pupils,  jjvo  forma. 

Why  were  they  not  scholars,  and  converted  througb  the 
agency  of  the  schools,  as  really  as  their  children  ?  The 
character  of  the  schools  into  which  they  were  gatliered  is 
often  and  clearly  brought  to  A^iew,  in  the  reports  of  the 
missionaries.  They  say  :  "  Considerable  has  been  done  the 
past  year,  as  well  as  in  previous  years,  to  instruct  the  adults 
in  reading  and  in  the  word  of  God.  Each  of  the  ladies  of 
the  mission  has  performed  more  or  less  of  this  kind  of  work 
with  the  native  women  immediately  around  her.  The  Bible 
is  read  and  explained  to  them;  they  are  taught  the  Lord's 
prayer  and  ten  commandments,  and  Christian  catechism, 
and  commit  to  memory  vei"ses  iu  the  Bible.  Many  have 
learned  to  read  the  Bible  intelligentlj'.  As  one  result  of 
these  efforts,  [or  schools,]  most  of  the  wives  of  our  Christ- 


184  MTssrox  SCHOOLS. 

ian  converts  are  desirous  of  being  received  into  tlie 
Church." 

The  Mahars  felt  the  inducements  and  influence  of  the 
scliools  far  more  than  the  higher  castes,  and  at  the  same 
time  had  no  sacrifices  to  make  when  they  became  Christians. 
On  this  point  the  report  of  the  Board  says  :  "A  great  por- 
tion of  the  converts  have  hitherto  been  from  the  Mahar 
caste  —  one  of  the  lowest  in  the  scale.  While  persons  of  a 
Jiigher  rank,  on  becoming  Christians,  renounced  caste,  and 
were  coDsequently  disowned  by  their  friends,  the  Mahars 
lost  no  privileges  among  their  own  people  by  taking  this 
step."  These  facts  ought  to  have  impressed  the  officers  of 
the  Board  with  the  importance  of  increasing  the  agencies 
which  would  strengthen  their  hold  on  the  higher  castes. 
Had  this  been  done,  the  interests  and  prospects  of  the  mis- 
sion would  have  been  greatly  improved.  The  conversion 
of  heathen  teachers  and  pupils  in  the  seminary  had  furnish- 
ed evidence,  that  when  once  brought  to  understand  and 
feel  the  truth  the  high  castes  were  readily  affected  b}^  it, 
and  were  not  wanting  in  manly  and  moral  courage,  to  avow 
iheir  faith  in  Christ,  even  at  the  risk  of  losing  patrimony, 
wife,  children  and  all  other  friends,  sacrifices  which  no 
Mahar  convert  was  ever  called  to  make. 

In  view  of  these  circumstances  who  can  fail  to  see  that 
the  suppression  of  the  seminarv,  of  the  study  of  English, 
and  the  schools  with  heathen  teachers,  unavoidably  severed 
the  connection  between  the  mission  and  the  higher  castes  ? 
Such  was  the  result,  and  one  much  to  be  regretted. 

Unwise  to  limit  Efforts  to  the  Low  Castes. 

All  souls  are  precious,  and  the  lovv^est  in  the  scale  of 
humanitj^,  are  not  to  be  neglected.  '•  To  the  poor  the  Gos- 
pel is  preached,"  and  shall  be  to  the  end  of  time.  But  it 
is  no  disgrace  to  the  Gospel  that  Saul  of  Tarsus  felt  and 
yielded  to  its  power.  And  it  is  no  reproach  to  the  mission- 
ary, if  his  heart  goes  out  in  earnest  longings  to  gather  in 
Sauls  and  Luthers  and  Melancthons,  from  the  ranks  of  the 
Brahmans  and  high  castes  of  India.     But  to  do  this  he  mast 


u^'^^■ISE  to  limit  efforts  to  low  castes,       185 

have  appliances  to  bring  these  high  castes  under  his  teach- 
ing and  influence.  When  we  weigh  the  moral  power  and 
influence  of  sucli  converts  for  tlie  conversion  of  their  coun- 
trymen, the  value  of  an}^  api:>liances  which  secure  them  can 
liardly  be  over-estimated.  The  strong  desire  for  EnglisU 
kept  some  of  these  high  castes  in  the  seminary,  and  the 
free  schools  with  heathen  teachers  availed  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. But  when  these  were  abandoned,  the  link  was  bro- 
ken. 

As  the  Mahar  converts  increased,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Board  seems  to  have  attached  increasing  importance  to 
•labor  among  them,  to  the  neglect  of  the  higher  castes. 
With  reference  to  this  fact,  Mr.  Abbott,  in  1844,  wrote  : 

"  Where  we  formerly  had  schools,  the  people  listen  to  the 
truth  with  greater  interest  than  elsewhere.  From  remarks 
which  we  sometimes  see  in  the  Herald^  I  appreJiend  there  is 
a  wrong  imj^fref^sion  in  regard  to  the  idros'peds  of  missionary 
labor  among  the  Mahars  as  compared  loith  other  castes.''''  Mr. 
A.  thought  there  was  as  much  hope  of  the  conversion  of 
the  higher  castes  as  of  the  Mahars,  if  the  mission  could  only 
have  agencies  to  reach  them  ;  though  he  admitted  the  fact 
that  the  Mahars  have  nothing  to  lose  and  something  to  gain 
in  reputation,  while  they  run  no  risk  of  pecuniary  loss ; 
but  that  the  higher  castes  have  "  every  thing  to  lose  in  re- 
putation, and  their  civil,  social,  and  pecuniary  losses  are 
realities,  and  must  continue  to  be  so  till  they  shall  become 
Christians  in  a  body.  Besides  losing  wife  and  children, 
they  have  a  prospect  of  starvation," 

It  is  easy  to  see  wh}'-  the  missionaries  attached  very  great 
value  to  the  schools  which  gave  them  influence  with  these 
higher  castes.  They  felt  reluctant  to  see  their  efforts  and 
the  fruits  of  their  labor  restricted  to  the  ]\Iahars.  The  posi- 
tion and  proportion  of  the  Mahars  in  the  native  community 
entitle  them  to  no  such  prominence.  In  one  hundred  villa- 
ges near  Ahmednuggur,  with  an  aggregate  of  84,000  inhab- 
itants, the  number  of  Mahars  is  only  7187  —  so  that  con*, 
sidering  their  small  number  and  little  influence,  the  idea  of 
restrictincr  missionary  efforts  to  the   Mahars,  would  show  a 


186  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

very  naiT0\7  and  im"\;vise  policy,  in  efforts  to  convert  India. 
Many  candid  and  thouglitfal  men  who  study  this  page  of 
missionary  history,  will  be  enable  to  avoid  feeling  that,  at 
tliis  stage  of  the  mission,  while  continuing  all  due  attention 
to  Mahars,  it  wonld  have  been  true  wisdom  to  have  increas- 
ed as  much  as  possible  the  effective  agencies  for  influencing 
the  higher  castes. 

Had  this  been  done  at  the  period  now  under  review,  a 
great  advantage  would  have  accrued  to  the  mission.  For 
some  years  the  mission  seminary  was  the  only  high-school 
in  the  city.  Had  its  facilities  been  increased  for  teaching 
the  Enoiish  lans;nagre  and  sciences,  it  miprht  have  brouo;ht 
all  the  intelligent  and  high-caste  youth  who  wished  to  prose- 
cute these  studies,  under  the  constant  influence  and  Christian 
teaching  of  the  mission.  IS'eglecting  to  furnish  such  facilities, 
an  increasing  desire  for  them  among  the  Hindu  3'outh,  even- 
tuated in  the  establishment  of  a  government  English  school 
to  meet  this  demand. 

I  have  no  invidious  feelings  towards  government  schools. 
I  rejoice  in  all  that  government  has  done,  and  is  doing  for 
the  education  of  Hindu  youth,  and  would  gladly  see  its 
schools  increased  tenfold.  True,  I  would  gladly  see  the 
Bible  and  Christian  instruction  introduced  into  these 
schools.  Yfhen  true  science  has  exploded  the  sophisms 
and  errors  of  Hinduism,  and  set  youthful  minds  free 
from  the  shackles  of  superstition,  I  believe  that  the  word, 
of  God  is  the  only  magnet  which  can  hold  them  back  from 
the  deepest  abysses  of  infidelity,  and  keep  them  true  to 
God,  to  themselves,  and  to  virtue.  But  if  government  v/ill 
not  teach  the  Bible,  let  it  teach  true  science,  and  impart  the 
benefits  of  a  sound  education,  as  extensively  as  possible  ; 
and  let  missionaries  and  the  Christian  Church  be  on  the 
watch  to  supplement  the  deficienc}^  as  rapidly  and  widely 
as  possible. 

And  yet,  when  there  is  an  opening,  like  that  which  ex- 
isted at  Ahmednuggur  the  first  ten  ^^ears  of  the  mission 
seminarv,  with  no  government  institution  as  a  rival,  there 
is  a  choice   opportunity  presented  for  bringing  the  most 


VALUK   OF   A   SCHOOL   AT   NEWASE.  187 

promising  class  of  Hindu  joutla  under  our  instruction — a 
■  price  put  in  our  bands,  which  if  we  do  not  use  most  effect- 
ively for  advancing  the  cause  of  Christ,  we  are  verily  cul- 
pable. By  neglecting  to  enlarge  their  facilities  for  teach- 
ing English  and  the  sciences,  the  mission  lost  this  valuable) 
opportunity.  A  few  good  caste  youth  continued  to  attend 
— enough  to  make  the  seminar}-  one  of  our  most  valuable 
agencies,  but  our  vantage-ground  for  bringing  all  the  youth, 
who  desired  such  education,  under  Christian  teaching,  was 
voluntarily  relinquished. 

Value  of  a  School  at  Newase. 

The  happy  influence  of  schools  in  conciliating  the  heath- 
en, and  overcoming  their  deep-rooted  prejudices  and  bitter 
opposition,  is  forcibly  illustrated  in  the  history  of  the  out- 
station  at  Newase.  This  village  is  situated  some  thirty-six 
miles  from  Ahmednuggur,  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  the 
Godaverj^,  and  the  scattered  converts  and  increasing  interest 
in  the  surrounding  villages,  rendered  it  extremely  desirable 
to  make  it  an  out-station,  by  establishing  a  native  assistant 
there.  But  the  Brahmans  long  thwarted  our  most  perse- 
vering efforts.  All  our  attempts  to  rent  or  purchase  a  house 
for  the  native  preacher  were  unavailing;  and  as  they  suc- 
ceeded in  foiling  our  endeavors  year  after  year,  their  pride 
and  haughty  bearing  increased,  and  they  boasted  that  they 
would  never  let  us  have  a  station  in  their  village. 

Brother  F.,  who  had  the  business  in  charge,  first  tried  to 
rent  a  house.  He  found  one  owned  by  a  poor  widow,  who 
was  glad  to  let  it ;  but  just  as  the  contract  was  being  closed 
the  priests  heard  of  it,  and  their  threats  soon  availed  with 
the  poor  woman,  and  she  dared  not  let  it.  Yerj  soon  such 
a  spirit  prevailed  in  the  place  that  no  house  could  be  rented 
for  any  price.  Brother  F.  was  then  authorized  to  purchase 
a  house.  He  at  length  found  one  about  to  be  sold  at  auc- 
tion,  as  the  owner  was  insolvent,  and  w^e  flattered  ourselves 
that  success  was  now  secure.  The  day  for  the  auction  came, 
and  brother  F.  and  one  of  our  native  preachers  were  on  the 
spot.     The  bidding  went  on  till  the  Hindus  reached  their 


188  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Ligliest  limit,  and  then  our  native  preacher  bid  above  them. 
Thereu|)on  the  angry  Brabmans  raised  sucb  a  tumult  that 
tbe  judge  dared  not  proceed  with  the  sale,  but  referred  it 
to  the  liigber  magistrate  at  Aliinednuggur.  lie  decided, 
\ery  properly,  that  tbe  sale  must  go  on,  and  if  tbe  priests 
did  not  wisb  a  Christian  to  buy  it  they  must  out-bid  him, 
and  another  day  was  appointed  for  the  sale. 

Brother  F.  and  Hurripunt,  a  native  preacher,  went  out 
to  N^.  some  davs  beforehand,  to  be  sure  and  be  in  time, 
and  engaging  a  native  to  inform  them  the  day  before  the 
auction  was  to  take  place,  they  went  on  to  other  villages.  A 
few  days  after,  they  were  awakened  one  dark  and  stormy 
night  by  their  messenger,  who  came  to  tell  them  the  auc- 
tion would  take  place  the  next  morning.  The  rain  was 
pouring  and  the  darkness  intense,  but  liow  could  they  lose, 
the  opportunity  to  secure  the  house?  They  prepared  a 
lighted  torch  and  traced  their  way  back  through  mud  and 
rain  and  swollen  rivers,  fifteen  miles,  to  Newase,  as  best 
they  could,  thankful  to  reach  there  a  little  before  the  hour 
for  the  sale.  But  what  was  their  chagrin  to  find  that  the 
auction  had  transpired  the  day  before !  Their  messenger 
had  been  duped  or  bribed  by  the  wily  Brabmans,  whose 
mirth  and  triumph  at  our  expense  were  now  boisterous  and 
])rolonged. 

We  do  not  wonder  that  brother  F.  closed  his  account  of 
tliis  event  by  writing:  "  What  Brabmans  can  not  do  open- 
ly and  according  to  law,  they  can  do  lawlessly  and  in  the 
dark,  making  the  government  officers,  in  many  cases,  their 
tools." 

At  leno'tli  brother  F.  heard  of  a  house  at  Newase,  the 
Hindu  owner  of  which  lived  at  Poona,  one  hundred  miles 
distant.  Correspondence  ensued.  The  owner  came  to  see 
us,  apparently  extremely  anxious  to  sell  He  was  offered  a 
generous  price.  lie  afdrmed  that  it  cost  more  to  build  it, 
and  dwelt  much  on  the  risk  he  would  incur  from  the  angry 
priests.  The  offer  was  increased,  and  still  he  delayed  to 
accept  it.  The  case  was  brought  before  the  mission  again 
and  again.     Willing  to  give  even  more  than  the  house  was 


VALUE   OF   A   SCHOOL   AT   NEWASE.  189 

worth  for  the  sake  of  gaining  so  desirable  a  point,  the  mis- 
sion listened  to  eacli  proposal,  and  the  offer  was  increased 
to  Rs.  500—600—650—700—800,  and  finally  to  lis.  850. 
About  a  3'ear  had  been  consumed  in  the  negotiation,  and 
still  the  Hindu  dela3'ed  to  accept  the  offer,  feeling,  doubt- 
less, that  he  was  making  money  faster  in  this  way  than  he 
could  by  honest  labor. 

At  this  stage  of  the  business,  brother  F.  was  obliged  to 
leave  the  mission  by  the  failing  health  of  his  wife.  They 
went  to  Bombay,  and  a  vote  of  the  mission  threw  all  his 
duties  upon  myself,  in  addition  to  the  heavy  burdens  I  al- 
ready had.  A  hasty  tour  in  the  valley  convinced  me  that 
we  had  better  succeed  at  once  in  establishing  this  out- station 
or  abandon  it  entirely.  The  protracted  efforts  and  constant 
triumph  of  the  priests,  were  resulting  only  in  harm.  The 
native  Christians  and  inquirers  were  much  dispirited  by  the 
scorn,  persecution  and  boastful  threats  to  which  they  were 
constantly  subjected.  For  some  three  years  the  struggle 
had  continued,  and  we  had  been  foiled  at  every  step.  The 
mission  agreed  that  it  was  best  to  end  it  at  once,  either  by 
succeeding  or  totally  abandoning  the  attempt. 

The  owner  of  the  house  was  still  in  Ahmednuggur.  He 
came  at  my  call,  ready  to  resume  the  negotiation.  I  re- 
minded him  of  the  many  months  he  had  consumed  in  this 
way,  and  told  him  I  did  not  think  he  wanted  to  sell  the 
house  at  all.  He  declared  he  did.  I  told  him  Mr.  F.'s 
offers  were  very  generous — altogether  too  high,  and  as  he 
had  not  accepted  them  tliey  were  now  all  withdrawn.  He 
looked  crest-fallen.  He  declared  he  would  delay  no  longer, 
but  would  accept  Mr.  F.'s  last  offer  at  once.  No,  said  I ; 
his  offers  are  all  cancelled,  and  we'll  begin  anew.  After  a 
little  delay  he  inquired  with  evident  anxiety  what  I  would 
give.  I  made  him  understand  that  my  offer  would  not  bo 
increased,  and  his  decision  would  be  final.  I  fixed  the  offer 
at  Rs.  500,  striking  off*  Rs.  850  of  the  former  offer.  He 
looked  distressed,  and  began  to  say  he  could  not  take  it, 
when  I  asked  him  not  to  decide  too  hastily,  but  to  think  of 
it  twenty- four  hours,  and  then  come  and  give  me  his  an- 


190  MISSION   SCHOOL!?. 

swer,  yes  or  no,  and  if  he  declined  the  offer  we  would  never 
say  another  Avord  about  it.  He  wished  to  talk  more,  but 
taking  advantage  of  Eastern  etiquette,  I  bowed  a  civil  sa- 
lam,  and  he  felt  constrained  to  leave.  The  next  morning 
he  appeared,  prompt  to  the  hour,  and  as  soon  as  compli- 
ments were  passed  and  he  was  seated,  I  asked  his  de- 
cision. He  seemed  reluctant  to  give  it,  and  began  a  preface 
about  the  fearful  consequences  if  the  Brahmans  should  put 
him  out  of  caste  for  selling  us  his  house.  Very  well,  said 
I,  you  don't  accept  my  offer  then,  and  began  to  bow  a  part- 
ing salam.  He  stopped  me  with  the  earnest  exclamation, 
''  Oh !  yes,  yes,  I  will !  "  and  in  fifteen  minutes  the  writings 
were  drawn,  signed  and  delivered  ! 

But  the  difficulty  did  not  end  here.  His  house  was  occu- 
pied by  tenants.  How  should  he  get  them  out  and  make  it 
over  to  the  mission  ?  This  was  necessary  in  order  to  se- 
cure his  money.  He  felt  the  difficulty.  I  proposed  to  go 
straight  to  Newase  with  him,  and  receive  charge  of  the 
house.  He  declared  that  if  seen  there  with  me,  the  Brah- 
mans would  know  his  purpose,  and  thej^  would  not  let  him 
escape  alive.  I  proposed  that  Ramkrishnapunt,  our  most 
courageous  native  preacher,  should  go  Vv^tli  him.  This,  he 
affirmed,  would  be  still  worse,  for  the  people  would  mob 
them  both.  "  How  will  you  do,  then  ?  What's  your  own 
plan  ?"  said  I.  He  proposed  to  go  alone,  remove  his  tenants, 
lock  up  his  house,  and  bring  me  the  key.  I  assented,  and 
mounting  his  little  pony,  he  started  for  Newase. 

My  thoughts  were  ill  at  ease.  Suppose  he  removes  his 
tenants,  locks  up  his  house,  and  comes  away ;  won't  every 
Brahman  there  watch  his  movements  and  divine  his  motive? 
And  shall  I  not  find  the  house  burned  up,  or  torn  down, 
with  no  witnesses  of  the  deed  ?  Such  musimjs  made  me 
anxious.  In  an  hour  or  two  I  got  ready  my  own  pony 
and  little  tent,  and  started  out  on  a  preaching-tour.  I 
reached  Newase  the  next  morning  a  little  before  dawn. 
The  unguarded  gate  was  open,  and  I  passed  through  the 
silent  streets,  unnoticed  save  by  a  growling  dog.  I  knocked 
at  the  gate  of  the  purchased  house : — no  reply.     I  knocked 


VALINE   OF   A   SCHOOL   AT    NEWASE.  191 

again  ;  but  could  hear  no  sound.  A  third  and  louder  knock, 
and  a  low,  tremulous  voice  inquired,  "Konaha?" — Who 
is  there?  I  replied," and  the  heavy  bolt  slid  back;  slowly 
the  gate  turned  on  its  hinges,  and  the  owner  of  the  house 
stood  before  me.  He  was  agitated  at  seeing  me,  and  his 
words  were  few.  He  gave  me  the  key,  mounted  his  pony, 
and  lost  as  little  time  as  possible  in  escaping  to  Poona.  As 
soon  as  the  day  dawned,  and  the  Brahmans  learned  what 
had  transpired,  their  chagrin  and'  indignation  knew  no 
bounds.  They  posted  hoi'semeu  in  different  directions  in 
pursuit  of  the  flying  Hindu,  who  narrowly  escaped  their 
vengeance  by  taking  refuge  with  a  party  of  police  in  the 
service  of  the  British. 

But  how  did  they  regard  the  missionary?  They  soon 
turned  their  attention  to  me,  and  crowds  pressed  around 
my  gate.  I  kindly  beckoned  them  in,  till  they  filled  the 
open  court  and  front  verandah,  and  then  closing  the  gate 
preached  to  them  on  the  Golden  Rule  and  Christ's  Sermon  on 
the  Mount.  After  an  hour  thus  spent  I  asked  them  to  retire 
and  give  place  to  others.  Their  place  was  quickly  filled 
with  a  new  audience,  and  successive  crowds  kept  me  thus 
occupied  till  long  after  dark,  leaving  me  no  time,  "  not  so 
much  as  to  eat  bread." 

At  length  I  dismissed  them  all,  bolted  my  gate,  and  after 
a  slight  repast,  I  spread  my  blanket  on  the  open  verandah, 
threw  myself  upon  it,  and  was  soon  asleep.  About  eleven 
o'clock  a  rap  at  the  gate  waked  me.  I  called  aloud,  "  Kon 
aha?" — Who  is  there?  There  was  no  reply.  The  knock 
and  the  inquiry  were  repeated  a  second  and  third  time,  but 
no  reply.  I  arose,  and  going  to  the  gate  repeated  vaj  in- 
quiry. A  low  voice  whispered  the  name  of  Wamunrao,  the 
only  Hindu  in  the  place  who  had  shown  himself  friendly 
to  us.  I  slipped  the  bolt  and  let  him  in.  He  was  much 
agitated  and  spoke  with  difiicuHy.  The  amount  of  his  meg- 
sage  was,  that  the  Brahmans  were  in  council,  had  a  large 
mob  gathered,  and  w^ere  resolved  to  attack  me,  and  destroy 
the  house,  and  my  life  was  in  peril  unless  I  escaped  at  once. 

I  confided  in  the  friendship  of  the  man,  and  the  case 


192  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

seemed  emergent.    What  slioiild  I  do  ?     I  thought  of  home 
and  mv  dear  flxmilv,  and  wished  I  were  out  of  the  danger. 
I  thought  of  the  three  long  years  of  persevering  efforts  to 
establish  that  out-station,  of  the  boastful  threatenings  of  the 
Brahmans,  and  of  the  fact  that  if  I  fled  now  it  would  be  a 
more  disastrous  defeat  than  ever.     I  beckoned  to  the  friendl}'' 
Hindu  to  retire,  told  him  to  take  care  of  himself,  that  wo 
missionaries  trusted  in  the  living  God,  and  closing  the  gate 
after  him,  I  returned  to  m}^  blanket,  committed  myself  again 
to  God,  and  lay  down.     It  was  some  time  before  I  slept,  but 
I  did  sleep — undisturbed  till  the  morning  sun  shone  brightly 
in  my  face.     A  confused  vision  of  the  night-scene  recurred. 
Was  it  a  dream  ?     That  could  not  be.     What  then  had  be- 
come of  the  council  of  priests  and  the  excited  mob  ?     My 
first  supposition  was  that  it  was  all  a  farce,  and  the  friendly 
Hindu  had  been  bribed  to  frighten  me  away,  that  the}^  might 
destroy  the  house  in  my  absence.     But  the  day  revealed  it. 
There  was  no  farce — all  was  real.     And  the  wicked  purpose 
of  the  excited  priests  and  mob  was  ripe  for  execution,  when 
the  night  post  brought  dispatches  from  the  British  govern- 
ment impeaching  several  of  the  Brahman  officials  who  were 
the  ringleaders  in  exciting  this  mob  !     Their  opposition  to 
us  was  entirely  unknown  to  the  British  officers,  but  the  Lord 
so  ordered  it  that  their  other  crimes  of  bribery  and  oppression 
should  come  to  the  notice  of  government,  and  these  dis- 
jDatches  should  arrive  just  in  time  to  degrade  those  ring- 
leaders, and  cause  confusion  in  the  ranks  of  our  enemies. 
Thus  checked,  they  desisted  from  violence,  and  contented 
themselves  with  an  appeal  to  the  Governor  of  Bombay,  pray- 
ing that  our  mission  station  might  be  removed  from  their 
village.     After  such  experience  why  should  not  a  mission- 
ary trust  in  God  forever  ?    I  occupied  the  little  house  myself 
till  our  native  preacher,  Ramkrishnapunt,  came  out  with  his 
famil}",  and  was  quietly  established  in  it  as  his  permanent 
home. 

It  will  be  readily  inferred  that  the  people  were  in  no  mood 
to  be  profited  by  our  labors.  Keen  chagrin  or  sullen  anger 
marked  their  countenances.    The  great  question  that  pressed 


VALUK    OF    A   SCIIOOJ.    AT   NEWASE.  193 

upon  us  was,  How  now  shall  we  conciliate  the  people  and 
bring  them  under  our  Christian  teaching  and  influence? 
The  only  agenc}^  in  our  power  was  a  school.  The  native 
preacher  commenced  one  in  the  open  verandah  of  his  house, 
and  though  the  people  were  shy  at  first,  yet  gradually  their 
fears  subsided,  the  school  furnished  facilities  for  education 
which  they  valued,  and  beginning  with  two  or  three  boys, 
it  attracted  one  after  another,  and  despite  the  indignation 
and  threats  of  the  priests,  and  the  superstitious  fears  and  pre- 
judices of  the  people,  in  a  few  months  fifty  or  sixty  youth 
were  gathered  in  that  school,  and  daily  brought  under 
Christian  teaching.  By  means  of  this  school  the  feelings  of 
the  people  rapidly  changed  towards  the  mission  ;  the  daily 
reports  of  the  pupils  told  upon  the  minds  and  hearts  of 
parents  and  friends,  and  thus  adults  were  attracted,  and 
came  in  increasing  numbers  to  see  a  Brahman  who  had  be- 
come a  Christian,  and  to  hear  him  talk  and  preach. 

The  influence  of  this  event  was  marked  and  quickly  felt 
throughout  the  whole  valley.  The  native  Christians  gained 
new  heart,  and  the  number  of  inquirers  rapidly  increased. 
After  some  eighteen  months  of  labor  in  that  valley,  I  ap- 
pointed a  communion  season  in  one  of  the  neighboring  vil- 
lages, and  the  memory  of  that  delightful  Sabbath  will  remain 
with  me  forever.  The  little  band  of  native  Christians  gath- 
ered around  us,  and  with  them  came  some  twenty  inquirers 
asking  for  baptism.  I  took  for  my  text  those  sweet  pro- 
phetic words  of  our  Saviour:  "Fear  not,  little  flock,  for  it  is 
your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom." 
Kever  before  did  their  peculiar  significance  so  affect  my  own 
heart,  as  when  I  addressed  them  to  that  little  band  of  Hindu 
disciples,  and  baptized  and  welcomed  eleven  more  to  the  or- 
dinances of  our  holy  faith.  They  are  still  receiving  a  blessed 
fulfillment  there,  for  that  feeble  band  has  increased  in  num- 
ber, till  already  some  two  hundred  Christian  families  live  in 
the  difierent  villages  which  adorn  that  beautiful  valley. 

That  out-station  at   Newase   prospered   so  long  as   the 
school  was  allowed.     What  agency  could  have  proved  so 
serviceable  at  the  origin  of  the  station  as  that  little  school  ? 
9  ..    .  . 


194  MISSION*  SCHOOLS. 

What  could  have  been  so  effective  in  checking  the  angry 
excitement,  correcting  the  false  impressions  of  the  people, 
and  leading  to  a  friendly  connection  with  them  ?  What 
other  agency  could  have  enabled  that  native  preacher  to 
communicate  so  soon  and  so  extensively  a  knowledge  of  the 
saving  truths  of  Christianity  ?  Without  this  school  he  might 
have  lived  there  for  years  and  gained  no  friendly  relations 
with  the  people,  and  no  influence  over  them. 


Conversion  of  "  Heathen  Teachers."— Hurripunt  and  Narayan. 

Among  the  early  converts  of  the  Ahmednuggur  mission 
were  two  brothers  of  the  priestly  caste,  named  Hurripunt 
and  Narayan.  They  had  been  employed  for  years  by  the 
mission  as  heathen  teachers.  Hurripunt  had  been  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  mission  some  four  years,  first  as  a  teacher  and 
then  as  a  superintendent  of  all  the  free  schools,  though  still 
a  heathen  priest. 

On  his  first  acquaintance  with  Hurripunt,  Mr.  Ballantine 
says :  "  The  most  favorable  appearance  presented  in  his 
charcter  was  his  thirst  for  knowledge.  He  was  constantly 
inquiring  about  subjects  connected  with  natural  philosophy 
and  natural  history,  and  seemed  to  love  to  know  the  truth, 
although  so  often  opposed  to  the  Hindu  Shasters.  With  re- 
gard to  geography  and  astronomy^  he  at  once  entered  into  the 
views  presented  in  our  books,  and  never  hesitated  one  moment 
to  acknowledge  the  absurdity  of  the  Hindu  notions  respecting 
themy 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  knowledge  of  true  science 
in  contrast  with  the  false  and  absurd  science  of  the  Hindu 
Shasters,  became  the  starting-point  of  Hurripunt's  doubts  in 
regard  to  Hinduism,  and  led  eventually  to  his  conversion. 
The  same  scientific  knowledge  was  communicated  by  him  to 
his  brother,  Narayan,  and  with  like  results.  IS'arayan's  first 
earnest  question  seems  to  have  been,  "  What  proof  have  you 
that  the  world  is  round,  and  that  it  has  no  such  support  as 
is  mentioned  in  the  Hindu  Shasters  ?"  alluding  to  the  old 
legend  that  the  earth  rests  on  the  head  of  a  huge  elephant, 


CONVERSION   OF  HEATHEN  TEACHERS.  195 

the  elephant  on  a  tortoise,  and  the  tortoise  on  an  endless 
snake. 

In  reply  to  this  question  of  Narayan,  Mr.  Ballantine  says: 
"  Hurripunt  directed  him  for  proof  to  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  all  vast  globes  like  the  earth,  which  evidently  had  no 
such  support ;  and  on  that  point  his  mind  was  soon  satisfied. 
But  he  immediately  began  to  make  other  inquiries  on  the 
subject  of  religion.  On  learning  this  account  from  Hnrri- 
punt,"  Mr.  B.  continues,  "  I  could  not  but  be  struck  with 
the  power  and  grace  of  God  as  exhibited  in  Narayan's  state 
of  mind.  His  attention  had  been  fixed^  and  his  inquiries  directed 
to  these  subjects  far  away  from  us,  arid  from  the  usual  means  of 
grace."'' 

That  is,  he  was  a  heathen  teacher  in  a  mission  school  some 
twelve  miles  from  any  missionary,  and  even  the  monthly 
examination  of  his  school  was  taken  by  his  brother,  a  heathen 
superintendent  of  these  schools,  and  thus,  in  the  good  provi- 
dence of  God,  these  humble  schools  became  the  direct  means 
of  bringing  both  these  brothers  to  a  knowledge  and  belief 
of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Both  became  convinced,  re- 
solved to  abandon  idol-worship  and  walk  according  to  the 
truth.  And  then  came  the  trial.  Parents  and  friends  ap- 
pealed unceasingly  to  their  strong  filial  and  natural  affections, 
and  when  this  |)i'oved  unavailing  they  called  in  the  aid  of 
the  most  influential  priests,  the  heads  of  their  caste.  A 
crowd  of  Brahmans  assembled  before  the  brothers  were  up, 
"  and  stopping  them  as  they  came  out,  began  to  rebuke  them 
for  forsaking  the  worship  of  idols."  They  offered  no  argu- 
ments to  prove  that  the  Christian  religion  was  false  and  the 
Hindu  system  true,  but  asked  them  whether  they  alone  were 
wiser  than  all  others,  and  told  them :  "  When  you  see  us  be- 
ginning to  worship  the  invisible  God,  then  you  may  do  so, 
but  do  not  attempt  to  know  more  than  jomy  betters."  Tbey 
also  required  them  to  leave  our  service  immediately,  and 
promised  them  the  same  salary  we  were  giving  them.  They 
also  threatened  to  expose  them  to  public  disgrace  unless  they 
returned  to  their  religion.  But  neither  threats  nor  promises 
were  of  any  avail. 


196  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

The  Bralimans  then  appealed  to  the  missionaries,  urging 
them  to  dismiss  Hurripunt  and  ISTarajan  from  their  service, 
and  when  this  failed,  they  urged  that  they  might  be  given 
up  to  them,  and  they  would  convince  them  in  two  or  three 
days  that  it  was  wrong  to  forsake  Hinduism.  When  this, 
too,  failed,  the  indignation  of  the  Brahmans  increased. 
They  threatened  to  take  away  Hurripunt  by  force.  Night 
was  approaching.  Crowds  of  Brahmans  filled  the  room, 
and  pressed  around  the  doors.  Hurripunt  saw  his  danger, 
stepped  out  a  moment  to  speak  with  his  mother,  sprang  up 
a  narrow  stone  stairway  to  the  upper  story  of  the  missiona- 
ry's dwelling,  and  thus  eluded  the  grasp  of  the  enemy. 

"  From  this  time,"  says  Mr.  B.,  "  he  always  remained 
the  same.  And  the  more  we  saw  of  him  the  more  did  we 
feel  satisfied  that  he  was  indeed  a  child  of  God  born  again 
of  the  Spirit.  He  never  seemed  to  doubt  for  one  moment 
the  propriety  of  the  step  which  he  had  taken,  nor  wish  to  re- 
turn to  his  people  and  his  idols." 

In  the  account  of  these  conversions  we  have  striking  evi- 
dence of  the  influence  of  our  schools  in  the  estimation  of  the 
priests.     Mr.  B.  goes  on  to  say : 

"  In  consequence  of  these  things  the  Brahmans  held  a 
great  council,  and  decreed  that  none  of  their  caste  should 
engage  in  the  service  of  the  mission,  or  send  children  to  the 
schools,  or  even  visit  the  houses  of  the  missionaries,  on  pain 
of  expulsion  from  the  order." 

Three  of  the  schools  were  broken  up  by  this  decree  and 
opposition,  and  the  Brahman  pundits  and  teachers  left  the 
service  of  the  mission.  But  this  wrath  of  the  priests  defeat- 
ed its  own  object.  So  many  pundits  and  teachers  were 
obliged  to  leave  good  service  by  these  arbitrary  decrees  that 
it  soon  produced  a  reaction.  They  complained  of  the  de- 
crees as  unwarrantable,  and  soon  effected  a  division  of  sen- 
timent, and  returned  again  to  their  employment. 

Hurripunt  was  baptized  on  the  14th  of  April,  and  Nara- 
yan  on  the  5th  of  May,  1839,  and  both  are  now  native 
preachers  in  the  Ahmednuggur  mission,  Hurripunt  being 
an  ordained  pastor  of  one  of  the  churches.     In  his  own  ac- 


CONVERSION   OF   IIURRIPUNT  AND   NARAYAN.         197 

count  of  bis  conversioD,  speaking  of  the  influence  upon  his 
mind  of  the  Christiau  truth  he  was  required  to  teach  in  his 
school,  he  sajs: 

"  When  placed  over  a  school  I  taught  the  boys  those  things 
Avhich  they  were  required  to  learn  from  the  school-books  be- 
cause it  was  my  business  to  do  so,  and  not  because  I  thought 
the  instruction  entitled  to  regard.  Some  things,  indeed,  I  re- 
garded as  true,  but  others  as  ridiculous.  Of  the  ten  com- 
mandments the  six  last  I  thought  excellent,  but  not  so  the  four 
first.  .  .  After  some  days  I  began  to  think  that  God  was 
without  form,  as  represented  in  the  books  which  I  was  teach- 
ing, but  I  thought  also  that  idols  partook  in  some  way  or  other 
of  the  divine  nature.  About  that  time  a  wealthy  native,  of 
most  respectable  character,  residing  near,  was  accustomed  to 
come  to  the  school-house,  and  would  ask  me  to  read  to  him 
some  of  the  stories  in  the  school-books.  At  different  times  I 
read  to  him  the  whole  story  of  '  Henry  and  his  Bearer,'  and 
he  assented  to  every  thing  contained  in  that  book,  declaring  it 
was  all  correct,  but  that  Hindu  customs  were  so  different,  it 
was  difficult  for  any  one  to  forsake  idolatry.  I  was  not  at  that 
time  j^repared  to  go  so  far  in  giving  assent  to  what  I  read." 

This  statement  brings  to  view  one  happy  way  in  which 
these  schools  extend  Christian  truth,  and  which  I  fear  is  not 
sufficiently  understood.  Their  utility  in  communicating 
Christian  knowledge  is  by  no  means  limited  to  the  pupils 
and  teachers.  These  repeat  the  truths  they  hear  and  read  to 
their  parents,  neighbors,  and  friends,  and  these  truths  become 
the  common  property  of  the  village,  or  a  circle  of  villages, 
and  go  on  extending  themselves  indefinitely.  The  influence 
of  true  science  on  Hurripunt's  mind  is  thus  attested  by  him- 
self: 

"  Many  days  passed  along  without  any  change  in  my  feelings. 
At  length  I  began  to  learn  something  of  the  principles  of  geo- 
graphy and  astronomy,  and  soon  perceived  evident  pi'oof  that 
the  Hindu  writings  contain  many  things  false  on  these  subjects. 
I  soon  understood  that  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  were  no  gods, 
and  that  all  the  stories  related  of  them  in  our  Shasters  arc 


198  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

mere  fictions.  At  that  time,  leaving  the  company  of  pundits 
and  puntojes,  (teachers,)  I  determined  to  study  more  of  mathe- 
matics and  natural  philosophy,  in  order  to  satisfy  myself  on 
this  subject." 

These  two  brothers  still  live  to  bear  witness  to  the  blessed 
and  saving  results  of  their  being  employed  in  the  mission  as 
heathen  teachers. 

Conversion  of  Badliabae. 

The  wife  of  ISTarayan  immediately  deserted  him  on  his  be- 
coming a  Christian,  and  took  with  her  their  little  children. 
Narayan  made  many  and  persevering  efforts  to  recover  them 
but  in  vain.     In  Hindu  law  he  was  dead  to  her,  and  his 
civil  rights  were  at  that  time  all  ignored. 

But  Hurripunt  was  more  successful  in  gradually  enlight- 
ening the  mind  of  his  wife,  Radhabae,  before  his  own  bap 
tism,  and  at  lensiih  succeeded  in  leading^  her  to  a  knowledge 
and  belief  of  the  truth.  She  was  bitterly  opposed  at  first, 
but  the  missionaries  say:  "ISTew  circumstances  occurred 
which  tended  graduall}^  to  allay  her  irritated  feelings.  Not 
the  least  of  these  circumstances  was  her  learning  to  read.  At 
first  the  very  thought  of  learning  was  abhorrent  to  her,  but 
she  found  herself  thrown  in  the  midst  of  a  circle  where  most 
of  those  around  her  were  capable  of  reading,  and  apparent- 
ly finding  a  constant  source  of  pleasure  in  their  various 
studies.  After  a  short  time  she  was  induced  to  begin  to 
learn,  and  to  her  praise  it  should  be  said,  she  was  remarkably 
regular  in  her  daily  tasks.  She  soon  succeeded  in  mas- 
tering what  seemed  to  her  at  first  great  difficulties,  and  in 
the  course  of  a  few  months  she  was  able  to  read  the  Bible 
intelligently." 

When  she  became  so  far  convinced  of  the  truth  as  to  re- 
move the  heathen  mark  from  her  forehead,  her  heathen 
friends  immediately  gave  vent  to  their  anger  and  contempt. 
She  bore  it  all  meekly,  and  told  them  she  had  laid  it  aside 
as  she  intended  to  become  a  Christian.  Some  one  asked  her 
if  she  was  forced  to  become  a  Christian,  when  she  replied 


CONVERSION    OF   ^rAROOTI.  199 

tbat  she  had  heard  for  herself,  and  believed  that  salvation 
was  to  be  found  only  in  Jesus  Christ.  Her  gentle  firmness 
soon  silenced  all  opposition." 

Hurripunt,  our  oldest  native  pastor,  and  Eadhabae,  his 
worthy  Christian  wife,  with  a  large  and  interesting  family 
of  children  growing  up  around  them,  three  or  four  of  whom 
are  alreadj^  members  of  the  Church,  are  they  not  a  living 
rebuke  to  every  murmxur  against  the  employment  of  heathen 
teachers  in  our  mission  schools? 

Conversion   of  Marooti. 

The  conversion  of  the  heathen  teachers  already  mentioned 
was  soon  followed  by  others,  among  whom,  in  1842,  was  a 
3'oung  Hindu  of  the  cultivator  caste  named  Marooti.  In 
narrating  his  case  Mr.  Ballantine  says :  ''  He  was  at  first  a 
scholar  in  one  of  our  town  schools.  He  afterwards  entered  the 
seminary,  and  continued  there  several  months.  .  .  Then 
he  became  the  teacher  of  a  school  in  a  small  village  about 
eight  miles  from  here.  From  the  time  of  his  going  to  take 
charge  of  that  school  he  forsook  idolatry,  and  he  taught  his 
hoys  also  that  idolatry  was  wrong.  After  a  while  he  began  to 
pray.  Still  he  had  no  idea  of  coming  out  and  being  bap- 
tized. The  difficulties  in  the  way  appeared  too  great.  But 
as  he  learned  more  he  saw  that  he  must  acknowledge  Jesus 
before  men  as  well  as  believe  on  him  in  his  heart.  It  was 
some  months  after  he  began  to  pray  before  he  determined 
to  avow  his  belief  in  Jesus  Christ  before  the  world.  A  few 
weeks  ago  he  came  and  expressed  a  desire  to  be  admitted 
into  the  Church  as  soon  as  circumstances  would  allow.  .  . 
Yesterday,  after  being  baptized,  his  parents  came  and  ex- 
hibited the  greatest  grief.  The  poor  mother  threatened  to 
kill  herself." 

Marooti  had  not  dared  to  speak  openly  in  favor  of  Christ- 
ianity until  he  had  actually  embraced  it  and  publicly  re- 
nounced idolatry.  Mr.  B.  says:  "lie  feared  for  his  safety 
in  case  he  should  do  so.  But  now  he  fears  no  longer.  He 
has  come  to  live  in  Hurripunt's  family,  and  is  employed, 


200  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

US  lie  has  been  some  weeks  past,  in  teaching  the  girls'  board- 
ing-school, where  his  influence  is  good." 

We  need  not  dwell  on  the  moral  of  this  case.  The  simple 
statements  of  the  missionary  bring  clearly  to  view  the  hea- 
then school  in  which  he  was  first  a  pupil,  and  his  employment 
as  a  heathen  teacher  when  the  Spirit  of  God  led  him  to  a 
full  understanding  of  the  truth,  and  to  avow  his  faith  in 
Jesus.  The  following  pages  show  that  he  was  not  only  a 
heathen  teacher,  but  also  a  heathen  superintendent  of  all  the 
free  schools.  He  now  ranks  among  the  native  preachers  of 
the  Ahmednuggur  mission. 

Conversion   of  Ramkrishnapunt. 

Another  heathen  teacher  converted  the  same  year  was 
Eamkrishnapunt,  a  young  Brahman  priest.  He  had  been 
brought  up  in  the  city  of  Poona,  seventy  miles  from  Ahmed- 
nuggur, and  in  early  childhood  was  a  playmate  of  the  no- 
torious ISTana  Sahib,  the  leader  of  the  late  Sepoy  rebellion 
in  India.  Wishing  to  employ  another  heathen  teacher,  the 
missionaries  at  Ahmednuggur  wrote  to  Major  Candy,  the 
Superindendent  of  the  Poona  Sanscrit  College,  who  sent  them 
Eamkrishnapunt.  He  came  with  decided  and  almost  con- 
temptuous dislike  of  the  missionaries,  but  consented  to  un- 
dertake the  service  for  the  sake  of  the  small  remuneration. 
Giving  a  brief  account  of  him  Mr.  B.  wrote  : 

"  When  he  first  came  he  appeared  very  haughty  in  his  man- 
ner, and  none  of  us  probably  thought  thait  his  mind  would  be 
easily  brought  under  the  influence  of  the  truth.  But  God 
seeth  not  as  man  seeth.  This  young  man  was  sent  out  to  a 
large  place  about  twelve  miles  distant  to  take  charge  of  a 
school.  He  continued  there  several  montlis,  coming  in  once  a 
month,  according  to  our  rule,  to  receive  his  pay  and  attend  the 
Sabbath  instructions.  While  there,  away  from  us,  his  mind 
was  excited  to  deep  reflection  on  the  things  of  religion.  He 
was  led  to  think  of  the  folly  of  worshipping  idols  by  conversa- 
tion with  a  Kubeerpunthee,  a  heretical  Hindu,  who  teaches  that 
all  the  mcarnations  and  idols  of  Hinduism  are  false,  and  that 
God  alone  should  be  Avorshippcd.     Thus  he  came  to  see  some 


CONVERvSIOX   OF  IlAMKllISHNAPUNT.  201 

of  the  errors  of  Hinduism,  and  was  convinced  that  the  system 
of  Kiibeer  was  much  more  correct  than  that  which  he  had 
hitherto  believed.  He  then  began  to  compare  it  with  wliat  he 
read  in  the  Christian  school-books  which  he  was  daily  teaching. 
He  was  astonished  to  find  that  Christianity  agreed  with  the 
system  of  Kubeer,  but  he  also  found  that  it  differed  from  it  in 
some  things,  and  on  further  reflection  he  thought  Christianity 
better  than  either  of  the  other  two. 

"While  in  this  state  of  mind  ]\[arooti,  the  other  young 
man,  who  was  superintendent  of  Mr.  A.'s  schools  as  well  as 
teacher  of  his  own  school,  came  along  to  examine  Ramkrishna- 
punt's  school,  and  began  to  talk  with  him  about  the  excellency 
of  the  Christian  rehgion.  Ranikiislmapunt  agreed  with  him 
entirely,  and  said  that  if  Marooti  would  become  a  Christian  he 
Avould  follow  after  soon.  Still  they  both  felt  difficulties,  and 
they  had  not  courage  to  speak  to  any  one  of  us  about  their 
own  feelings. 

"  But  Ramkrishnapunt's  difficulties  soon  vanished,  and  he 
came  to  Mr.  Abbott  and  told  him  he  Avished  to  become  a 
Christian.  He  also  opened  his  mind  freely  to  Hurripunt,  who 
Avas  astonished  to  hear  him  speak  as  he  did,  and  thought  he 
could  not  be  in  earnest.  But  he  soon  learned  the  truth  of  the 
case.  Ramkrishnapunt  soon  began  to  come  to  his  house,  to 
eat  Avith  him,  and  spend  his  evenings  AA'ith  him,  sitting  uyt 
often  until  eleven  o'clock  reading  the  Scriptures  together,  and 
talkinor  about  the  thin2:s  of  relio-ion.  A  short  time  before  Ma- 
rooti  decided  to  become  a  Christian  openly  he  met  Ramkrish- 
napunt, and  asked  him  Avhat  his  feelings  Avere  noAV.  Ram- 
kiishnapunt  said  that  all  his  difficulties  had  vanished,  that  he 
cared  not  noAv  A\-hether  Marooti  came  Avith  him  or  not,  so  far 
as  himself  Avas  concerned,  that  he  Avas  determined  to  be  a 
Christian.  He  AA^as  indeed  desirous  to  obtain  his  AA-ife  before 
being  baptized,  as  he  had  no  hope  of  getting  her  afterAvards, 
and  he  accordingly  Avent  to  Poona  two  or  three  months  ago 
for  this  object.  But  his  friends  there,  learning  his  intention  to 
become  a  Christian,  confined  him,  and  AA^ould  not  even  let  him 


Ramkrishnapunt  had  been  married  by  his  parents  to  a 
little  girl  much  younger  than  himself,  and  he  had  never 


202  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

seen  lier  since.  He  failed  of  obtaining  her  on  this  occasion, 
and  his  wish  to  do  so  was  doubtless  more  for  her  sake  than 
his  own,  as  he  knew  that,  child  as  she  was,  she  would  be 
condemned  to  perpetual  widowhood  on  his  becoming  a 
Christian,  with  all  the  attendant  servility  and  disgrace 
which  make  the  Hindu  widow  an  object  of  much  commis- 
eration. But  his  efforts  to  obtain  her  only  resulted  in  his 
own  confinement,  and  it  was  not  till  he  found  an  opportuni- 
ty to  communicate  with  the  English  gentleman  who  first 
recommended  him  to  the  mission,  that  he  was  able  to  get 
released.  The  case  was  then  brought  at  once  to  the  notice 
of  a  magistrate,  Eamkrishnapunt  released,  and  a  government 
soldier  sent  to  see  him  safe  from  harm  on  his  way  to  Ah- 
mednuggur. 

On  reaching  the  mission  again,  he  came  out  openly  as  a 
Christian  and  received  baptism,  countiug  all  things  else  as 
worthless,  that  he  might  win  Christ  and  be  found  in  him. 
Persecutions  came  upon  him.  When  his  parents  and  friends 
found  that  they  could  not  reclaim  him  to  Hinduism,  they 
performed  his  funeral  ceremonies  and  called  him  dead,  and 
his  civil  rights  were  ignored  by  law.  But  he  had  counted 
the  cost,  and  has  remained  steadfast  ever  since.  Having 
failed  to  obtain  his  infant  wife,  his  heathen  marriage  was  set 
aside,  and  Earakore,  the  interesting  girl  who  would  have 
none  but  a  Christian  husband,  and  who,  with  her  mother, 
had  been  the  first-fruits  of  the  girls'  boarding-school,  subse- 
quently became  his  wife.  They  have  several  interesting 
children,  and  a  happy,  useful  family  they  are,  he  being  the 
most  able  native  pastor  we  have  in  Western  India,  and  she 
in  every  respect  a  help-meet  for  her  husband. 

The  spirit  of  this  native  pastor  may  be  inferred  from  the 
following  brief  extract  from  one  of  his  letters.  After  giving 
me  a  lengthy  and  graphic  account  of  the  massacre  of  native 
Christians,  and  the  horrors  of  the  mutiny,  while  in  the 
height  of  its  power  and  progress,  he  adds  : 

"  Some  of  the  native  soldiers  in  this  presidency,  too,  are 
likely  to  mutiny.  We  thank  God  for  his  mercy  in  keeping  us 
hitherto  in  quiet  and  safety,  while  our  brethren  at  the  north 


CONVEESION   OF  EA^rCH UNDER.  203 

are  suffering  such  horrible  persecutions.  Yet  we  do  not  know 
what  will  take  ])lace  in  a  few  days.  Perhaps  we  also  may  be 
called  to  share  the  same  fiite,  and  we  are  trying  to  be  prepared 
for  it,  if  so  be  the  will  of  our  Father  in  heaven — firmly  believ- 
ing that  if  all  of  x(s  are  sacrificed,  it  will  all  result  in  good  to 
us  and  to  the  Church  of  God.  If  such  is  his  will,  may  we  l)e 
prepared  to  stand  firm  in  faith,  and  testify  to  his  Gospel  in  our 
death  as  well  as  iu  life." 

Let  those  who  are  troubled  with  any  apprehensions  about 
the  propriety  of  such  mission  schools,  and  of  emplojang 
heathen  teachers,  trace  again  the  history  of  this  happy 
family,  from  the  time  that  the  heathen  mother  took  this 
little  girl  by  the  hand  to  prosecute  their  lone  wanderings 
back  to  their  distant  village,  in  the  dense  darkness  of 
heathenism,  and  her  steps  were  arrested  by  hearing  of  the 
mission  school  for  little  girls.  Let  them  trace  the  provi- 
dence of  God  in  the  case  of  the  husband — a  haughty,  self- 
conceited  Brahman,  placed  in  charge  of  a  school  twelve 
miles  from  the  missionaries,  and  only  seeing  them  once  a 
month,  when  he  visited  Ahmednuggur — he  a  heathen  teacher^ 
and  the  monthly  examination  of  his  school  even  being  taken 
by  a  heathen  superintendent.  If  the  employment  of  heathen 
teachers  is  ever  of  doubtful  policy,  what  more  hopeless  cir- 
cumstances can  be  adduced  in  the  whole  history  of  missions  ? 
And  yet  it  pleased  God  to  make  this  agency  the  means  of 
bringing  both  teacher  and  superintendent  to  a  knowledge 
and  belief  of  the  truth — resulting  in  case  of  this  haughty 
young  priest,  in  making  him  one  of  the  brightest  lights  and 
most  effective  laborers  among  all  the  native  converts  con- 
nected with  the  missions  of  the  American  Board  in  "Western 
India.  His  influence  was  promptly  and  signally  manifest  in 
the  conversion  of  his  own  brother,  Vishnupunt,  the  following 
year. 

Conversion  of  Kamchunder. 

Next  followed  the  conversion  of  Ramchunder,  another 
heathen  teacher  in  the  service  of  the  mission  at  Seroor.  In 
giving  some  account  of  him,  the  missionary,  Mr.  French, 


20J:  '  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

rejoices  that  the  same  class  of  teachers,  for  whose  conversion 
the  divine  blessing  had  been  so  signally  bestowed  at  the 
other  stations,  was  affected  in  like  manner  by  the  Christian 
truth  they  were  required  to  teach  in  his  schools.  Mr.  F. 
writes: 

"  On  the  first  Sabbath  hi  July  [1843]  I  was  permitted  to  re- 
ceive into  the  visible  church  of  Christ,  the  first  convert  from 
heathenism  at  this  station.  His  name  is  Ranichunder.  He 
belongs  to  the  Brahman  caste,  and  is  about  forty  years  of  age. 
On  ray  occupying  this  station,  I  took  his  school  under  my  care, 
and  he  has  ever  since  remained  in  my  employment. 

"  From  his  first  connection  with  the  mission,  he  has  regularly 
attended  our  public  services  on  the  Sabbath,  and  daily  taught 
our  C/iristian  books  in  his  school.  The  influence  of  the  truth 
thus  brought  before  his  mind  had  doubtless  an  important  bear- 
ing, though  Ins  inquiries  were  not  awakened  till  about  four 
months  since.  From  that  time  light  began  to  dawn  upon  his 
dark  mind  ;  he  lost  all  confidence  in  Hinduism,  threw  away  the 
little  pebble  he  had  formerly  worshipped,  and  began  to  seek  in 
earnest  for  a  better  way.  He  soon  became  convinced  that 
Christianity  was  the  only  true  religion,  and  Jesus  Christ  the 
only  Saviour  of  sinners.  As  his  inquiries  advanced  his  difficul- 
ties disappeared,  his  mind  became  settled,  and  he  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  Christian  duties,  at  first  with  much  diffidence, 
but  soon  with  great  delight.  He  was  baptized  at  the  chapel 
on  Sabbath  morning,  in  the  presence  of  more  people  than 
could  get  into  the  house,  among  whom  were  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal men  of  the  place." 

In  the  afternoon  his  three  children  were  baptized,  and  the 
missionary  and  .native  converts  gathered  around  the  table 
of  the  Lord.  "  It  was  a  precious  season,"  says  Mr.  F. ;  "  in 
view  of  what  our  eyes  have  beheld,  we  feel  ourselves  called 
upon  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  who  has  remembered  us  in  our 
feebleness,  and  visited  us  with  his  mercy." 

Conversion  of  Dajeeba,  Shiveram,  and  other  Heathen  Teachers. 

In  gathering  up  the  records  of  heathen  teachers  con- 
verted in  this  mission,  they  crowd  upon  ns  too  numerous  for 


CON^rERSION    OF    TTKATIIEX    TEACIfEHS.  205 

detail.  One  missionary  writes:  ''The  teacher  of  tlie  bo^^s' 
boarding-scliool  is  anxious  to  be  baptized,  and  appears  re- 
markably well." 

Another  re}")orts  two  heathen  teachers  baptized  and  admit- 
ted to  the  Church,  one  of  them  a  female  employed  in  the 
girls'  boarding-school. 

Siddu  was  baptized  and  received  to  church-fellowship  at 
Seroor,  while  employed  as  a  teacher  at  an  out-station,  though 
he  had  been  educated  in  the  boarding-schools.  He  is  now  a 
native  preacher. 

Dajeeba,  who  has  been  for  many  years  a  native  assistant, 
was  long  employed  as  a  heathen  teacher,  and  thus  came  to 
know  and  believe  the  truth. 

Shiveram  was  first  a  pupil,  and  then  the  heathen  teacher 
whose  pupils  threw  away  the  idols,  and  subsequently  pulled 
down  a  heathen  temple.  His  meek  bearing  and  persistent 
affection  under  the  cruel  treatment  and  persecution  of  his 
father,  a  bigoted  old  priest,  finally  softened  the  old  man's 
heart,  and  led  him  to  feel  that  the  Grospel,  which  had 
wrought  such  a  wonderful  change  in  his  son,  must  have  ele- 
ments different  from  Hinduism.  When  the  old  priest  first 
came  to  me,  it  was  to  tell  me  this  conviction,  and  how  Shiv- 
eram had  meekly  borne  his  abuse  for  five  long  3'ears ;  and 
ho  begged  to  know  what  there  was  in  the  Christian  religion 
which  gave  it  such  power.  He  followed  me  some  six 
months,  much  of  the  time  travelling  with  me  from  village 
to  village,  as  I  went  on  preaching- tours — always  present  at 
my  preaching  services,  and  morning  and  evening  praj^ers ; 
and  I  shall  not  soon  forget  the  occasion,  after  a  season  of 
prayer  with  him,  when,  bursting  into  tears,  he  avowed  his 
faith  in  the  crucified  Jesus,  and  pulling  his  priestly  badge 
from  his  neck,  begged  me  to  keep  it  as  a  memento,  alike  of 
his  heathen  ignorance  and  superstition,  and  of  the  blessed 
power  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  The  dear  old  priest  was 
baptized,  and  lived  and  died  a  Christian.  I  still  keep  his 
old  brass  badge,  and  many  dear  children  in  our  Sabbath- 
schools  will  remember  it.  He,  I  doubt  not,  has  found  a 
better  badge,  even  the  robe  of  Christ's  righteousness,  pure 
and  white. 


206  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

"WHcli  case  marks  most  signally  the  blessing  of  God  on 
our  schools — that  of  this  heathen  teacher,  or  of  his  old  father, 
the  priest  ?  Oh !  that  dear  friends  in  Christian  lands  could 
understand  how  Heaven's  own  seal  is  stamped  on  these 
schools !  Well  and  truthfully  have  our  brethren  of  the 
Ahmednuggur  mission  testified,  in  their  Annual  Eeport  of 
1855  :  "  Our  native  pastors  and  most  efficient  labor- 
ers WERE  ORIGINALLY  HEATHEN  SCHOOL-TEACHERS,  AND 
IN  THIS  WAY  WERE  BROUGHT  UNDER  THE  INFLUENCE  OF 
TRUTH,    AND    CONVERTED." 

Schools  opposed  by  the  Heathen. 

The  earnest  opposition  of  the  natives  to  our  schools  was 
briefly  brought  to  view  in  the  history  of  the  Bombay  mis- 
sion. The  same  opposition  appears  at  every  stage  of  pro- 
gress in  the  Ahmednuggur  mission.  When  the  two  Brah- 
man teachers  were  baptized  in  1839,  several  schools  were 
broken  up  by  this  opposition. 

In  1843  the  priests  threatened  to  put  Mr.  French's  teach- 
ers out  of  caste,  if  they  did  not  leave  his  service,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  breaking  up  three  or  four  of  his  schools.  Mr.  F. 
says  :  "  The  great  charge  brought  against  them,  was  that  of 
teaching  the  rising  generation  those  books  which  contained 
principles  at  variance  with  their  own  religion.  I  do  not 
wonder  that  the  advocates  of  Hinduism  become  alarmed,  in 
view  of  the  tendency  of  our  schools^ 

Regretting  the  loss  of  these  schools,  and  the  want  of  funds 
to  establish  more,  Mr.  F.  writes :  "  Nearlj^  200  youth  are 
thrown  beyond  the  reach  of  Christian  instruction.  And  not 
only  this,  the  access  which  these  schools  gave  us  to  the  peo- 
ple generally  of  those  villages,  is  closed.  The  suspension 
of  these  schools  materially  affects  my  operations,  and  is  an 
event  much  to  be  regretted." 

When  Ramkore  and  her  three  associates  in  the  girls' 
boarding-school  were  baptized,  it  was  the  signal  for  a  vigor- 
ous assault  on  the  schools.  Many  of  the  older  pupils  were 
3'emoved,  and  most  of  the  other  schools  also  suffered  from 
this  opposition. 


CONVERTS   FRO]\[   THE   SEMINARY.  207 

Again  we  read,  in  the  report  of  the  Board :  "  From  the 
girls'  boarding-school  two  pupils,  in  respect  to  whom  our 
brethren  have  indulged  the  hope  that  they  would,  at  no  dis- 
tant day,  profess  Christ  before  men,  were  removed  by  their 
parents  to  prevent  their  becoming  Christians.  One  of  them 
subsequently  returned,  begging  that  she  might  be  allowed 
to  remain  with  the  missionaries,  and  also  asking  for  ^a])tism. 
Soon,  however,- her  parents  came  in  pursuit  of  her,  and,  by 
many  fair  promises,  they  succeeded  in  inducing  her  to 
accompany  them.  Having  once  got  her  in  tlieir  power, 
they  were  careful  not  to  allow  her  to  return.  In  a  few  days 
we  learned  that  they  had  beaten  her  severely,  on  her  return- 
ing home,  and  had  immediatel}"  sent  her  to  a  village  fifty  or 
sixty  miles  distant.  We  hope,  however,  that  even  there  the 
poor  girl  will  be  enabled  to  put  her  trust  in  the  Saviour." 

When  Eama  and  Sudu,  pupils  of  the  seminary,  were  bap- 
tized, the  Hindus  took  alarm,  and  many  of  the  good-caste 
scholars  were  withdrawn  from  that  and  the  other  schools- 
"  Some  young  Brahmans  were  very  reluctant  to  give  up  the 
privileges  they  enjoyed  in  the  school,  but  they  found  them- 
selves unable  to  resist  the  efforts  made  to  remove  them." 
The  missionaries  comfort  themselves  with  the  thought : 
"  They  have  learned  enough,  perhaps,  to  make  them  wise 
unto  salvation." 

Through  all  the  history  of  our  missions,  no  department 
of  our  labors  has  elicited  so  much  opposition  from  the 
heathen  as  our  schools.  Why  is  this  ?  The  enemy  never 
take  trouble  to  destroy  blank  cartridge,  or  spike  guns  that 
are  already  useless. 

Converts  from  the  Seminary. 

Some  account  has  already  been  given  of  the  mission 
seminary  at  Ahmednuggur  —  the  anxious  desire  of  the 
home  officers  to  establish  it,  the  votes  they  passed,  and  the 
care  with  which  they  fostered  it  through  the  first  ten  years 
of  its  existence,  without  one  convert  being  gathered  in  from 
its  pupils. 

The  care  of  this  seminary  was  the  first  mission  work  put 


208  l^riSSION  SCHOOLS. 

upon  me  bj  my  brethren — tlie  day  after  I  reached  Ahmed- 
nuggur  in  1846.  I  entered  upon  it  with  deep  interest,  but 
interest  which  constantly  increased  during  all  the  years  of 
ra}^  connection  with  the  school.  The  religious  interest  in 
the  seminary  was  marked,  and  we  were  soon  permitted  to 
see  joyful  results  of  our  labors  in  it. 

Conversion  of  Rama  Bhore. 

Soon  after  takino-  charo^e  of  the  seminary,  I  became  much 

CD  CD  V    / 

interested  in  a  young  lad  of  about  16  years,  by  the  name 
of  Kama.  He  was  foremost  among  the  pupils  in  showing 
his  disregard  of  idolatry.  I  soon  selected  him  as  the  bene- 
ficiary of  the  "  M ALONE  Juvenile  Missionary  Society" 
of  little  girls,  who  had  pledged  me  $20  a  year,  to  educate  a 
heathen  boy.  And  they  fulfilled  their  promise  every  year 
I  was  in  India,  some  3^ears  doubling,  and  even  trebling  the 
amount. 

Eama  rapidly  developed  a  thorough  knowledge  and  con- 
viction of  the  truth.  His  views  of  the  just  desert  of  sin 
and  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ  were  specially  clear  and 
satisfactory^,  and  he  soon  resolved  to  take  his  stand  on  the 
side  of  Christ.  He  was  baptized  Dec.  13th,  1846,  and  be- 
longing to  a  family  of  Patils,  or  head  men  in  his  village,  his 
baptism  caused  much  excitement.  His  brothers  and  widow- 
ed mother  came  in  great  haste,  and  tried  their  utmost  to 
persuade  him  to  return  with  them.  He  declined,  knowing 
they  would  force  him  to  acts  of  idolatry  or  keep  him  in 
confinement.  His  poor  mother  used  many  entreaties,  be- 
seeching him  not  to  destroy  himself,  and  bring  perpetual 
disgrace  on  his  family.  In  the  anguish  of  her  feelings,  she 
beat  her  head  upon  the  ground,  and  threatened  to  destroy 
herself.  It  was  touching  to  witness  the  tenderness  with 
which  Eama  begged  her  to  refrain  from  weeping,  though 
his  own  face  was  bathed  in  tears,  and  affirming  his  desire  to 
secure  the  salvation  of  his  own  soul,  urged  her  too,  to  come 
with  him  and  be  a  Christian. 

The  scene  soon  brought  together  a  large  and  excited  mob, 
who  seemed  resolved  to  take  Rama  away  from  our  protec- 


CONVERSION   OF  RAMA.  2(/9 

tion  by  force.  We  reported  the  danger  to  the  Britisli  ma- 
gistrate, who  came  at  once  with  a  party  of  police,  and  took 
Kama  to  his  court.  None  of  the  missionaries  were  permit- 
ted to  accompany  him,  but  some  of  our  native  converts 
followed,  and  reported  to  us  the  public  confession  of  this 
young  disciple,  and  the  noble  firmness  with  which  he  stood 
up  for  Jesus  in  that  heathen  court.  No  questions  of  the 
magistrate  confused  him,  no  appeal  to  his  affection  for  his 
mother  even  induced  him  to  waver  in  his  purpose;  and 
being  of  age  (16  years)  by  Hindu  law,  there  was  but  one 
decision  possible.  He  was  restored  to  the  mission,  and  the 
mob  dispersed. 

For  years  Eama  remained  under  my  immediate  direction, 
as  a  teacher  and  native  assistant,  and  never  have  I  known  a 
more  industrious,  faithful,  conscientious  young  Christian,  in 
any  land.  It  was  his  fixed  purpose,  during  all  those  years, 
to  become  a  native  preacher,  and  aid  us  in  our  labors ;  but 
when  the  Secretary  and  Committee  abolished  our  seminary, 
Rama  felt,  with  others,  that  he  must  have  a  more  liberal 
education  ;  and  leaving  our  mission,  he  entered  the  Institu- 
tion of  our  Scotch  Free  Church  brethren  in  Bombay. 

S  \i  d  d  u  . 

The  second  convert  from  the  pupils  of  this  seminary  was 
Suddu,  an  interesting  young  man,  originally  of  the  Mahar 
caste,  and  still  laboring  as  a  native  preacher  in  Western 
India.  Of  these  two  converts  the  missionaries  wrote  in 
their  report :  "  These  were  the  first-fruits  of  our  labors  in 
the  seminary  in  the  way  of  conversion,  but  we  hope  they 
will  not  be  the  last." 

This  hope  has  been  realized.  Within  six  months  from 
the  date  of  these  baptisms,  Ave  find  one  of  the  missionaries 
writing :  "  Some  of  the  more  promising  scholars  in  the 
seminary  are  evidently  in  an  inquiring  state  of  mind. 
Two  or  three  weeks  ago,  a  Brahman  lad  came  to  me  and 
expressed  his  full  conviction  of  the  truth  of  Christianity^ 
and  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  Saviour.  He  wished  to 
be  a  Christian,  and  hoped  Jesus  would  convert  his  mind. 
But  he  has  met  with  the  greatest  opposition." 


210  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

Amrooti   and  his   Mother. 

One  of  the  early  coDverts  of  the  seminary  was  Amrooti, 
a  young  Hindu,  like  Rama,  of  the  cultivator  caste,  and 
whose  case,  like  that  of  Ramkore,  illustrates  the  influence 
of  the  schools  in  gathering  adult  inquirers  and  converts. 
Amrooti's  mother  came  to  live  near  her  son,  and  prepare 
his  daih^  food,  and  in  this  way  she,  too,  came  to  know  and 
believe  the  Gospel,  and  was  baptized  and  received  to  the 
Church,  some  time  before  her  son  was. 

Conversion  of   Daood,  (David.) 

This  3^oung  man  was  both  a  student  and  teacher  in  the 
seminary  —  hearing  the  lessons  of  some  classes  and  reciting 
himself  in  others.  Some  account  of  him  at  the  time  of  his 
conversion,  is  as  follows: 

"  One  of  the  teachers  in  the  seminar}^,  whom  we  have  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  most  promising  young  men  about  us, 
came  to  me  the  other  day  saying  that  he  had  determined  to 
forsake  his  wicked  ways  and  be  a  Christian.  He  is  eigh- 
teen or  twenty  years  of  age,  and  a  Mussulman  by  birth. 
From  a  pretty  free  conversation  closed  with  prayer  in 
which  he  took  part,  he  really  appeared  like  a  renewed  man. 
He  expressed  a  determination,  after  some  delay,  to  ask  for 
baptism.  The  Lord  only  knows  whether  he  will  endure  to 
the  end."  ^' Other  members  of  the  seminary  are  evidently 
in  an  interesting  state  of  mind.  Oh !  that  we  could  have  a 
powerful  effusion  of  the  Spirit  in  this  school !  Will  not 
our  friends  remember  us  in  their  prayers  ?" 

Daood  was  baptized  in  the  autumn  of  1847,  and  the  hearts 
of  all  in  the  mission  rejoiced  at  this  event.  Some  account 
of  him  may  be  found  in  the  Missionary  Herald  for  Decem- 
ber, 1847.  He  v^as  a  young  man  of  much  ability  and  pro- 
mise, and  we  hoped  much  from  his  assistance  in  our  work. 
But  Christians  will  knov/  better  how  to  sympathize  with 
their  brethren  toiling  in  heathen  lands — tremblingly  hoping 
•and  prajang  and  striving  to  encourage  such  converts — when 
the}^  learn  that  the  persecution  and  trials  which  the  friends 


VYENKUTEAO.  211 

of  this  young  man  brought  upon  him,  were  so  severe,  that 
he  very  soon  renounced  his  faith  in  Christ,  and  went  back 
to  the  false  prophet.  But  his  conscience  had  become  too 
much  enlightened  to  give  him  peace.  Sad  and  sorrowful 
were  the  years  he  passed  in  this  unhappy  state ;  and  at 
length,  like  Peter,  he  wept  bitterly  over  his  sin,  and  re- 
turned to  his  Saviour.  It  is  a  remarkable  circumstance 
that  during  the  period  of  his  apostasy,  the  black  leprosy 
developed  itself  in  his  system,  and  marked  him  for  its  cer- 
tain victim.  It  would  probably  be  impossible  to  convince 
the  native  converts  who  knew  him,  that  this  was  not  a 
direct  judgment  of  God  upon  him  for  denying  Christ.  It 
was  with  many  tears  that  he  eventually  sought  and  obtained 
restoration  to  the  privileges  of  the  Church,  and  hearty  and 
unreserved  seemed  the  subsequent  consecration  of  himself 
to  Christ  and  his  service.  His  last  years  were  full  of  use- 
fulness. His  efforts  were  untiring  to  make  known  Christ, 
and  persuade  his  countrymen  to  believe  in  him.  He  died 
about  a  year  since,  full  of  hope  and  faith,  "joyfully  looking 
to  Jesus." 

Vyenkutrao. 

Soon  after  I  took  charge  of  the  seminary,  in  1846,  I  no- 
ticed one  morning,  a  new  pupil.  Ilis  dress  marked  him  as 
a  Brahman  priest,  and  I  soon  found  that  he  had  come  from 
the  city  of  Mominabad,  ninety  miles  distant  in  another 
province.  He  had  heard  of  our  seminary,  and  had  come 
with  a  wish  to  learn  English  and  the  sciences.  He  was 
welcomed  to  the  school.  His  progi^ess  was  rapid,  and  in  a 
few  months  his  fixed  attention,  and  an  occasional  tear,  has- 
til}^  brushed  away,  revealed  the  effect  of  Christian  truth  on 
his  heart. 

But  the  wily  Brahmans  discovered  his  state  of  mind  as 
quickly  as  I  did,  and  took  measures  to  apprize  his  distant 
parents  and  friends.  They  came  at  once,  and  with  mingled 
affection  and  authority  succeeded  in  removing  him  from  our 
influence.  We  had  watched  him  with  increasing  interest, 
hoped  and  prayed  that  he  might  soon  become  a  '*  chosen 


212  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

vessel,"  and  our  disappointment  now  was  keen.  But  we 
could  not  prevent  it,  and  lie  returned  with  his  friends,  to 
Mominabad. 

After  some  months,  howeA^er,  much  to  our  joy,  he  ap- 
jDcared  again.  His  love  for  study  and  attachment  to  the 
seminary,  brought  him  back.  Some  love  and  conviction  of 
the  truth,  may,  even  then,  have  influenced  him.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  his  convictions  rapidly  revived,  and  he  develop- 
ed an  impressibility  to  truth  and  a  tenderness  of  conscience 
very  rare  among  the  Brahmans  of  India.  Again  our  hopes 
revived,  but  again  his  friends  brought  their  arts  and  influ- 
ence to  bear  upon  him,  and  removed  him  from  the  school. 

He  Avent  and  came  several  times,  his  convictions  deepen- 
ing, and  the  evidence  of  a  work  of  grace  in  his  heart,  be- 
coming more  unmistakable.  The  duty  of  confessing  Christ 
before  men  pressed  heavily  on  his  heart,  and  the  great  hin- 
drance was  his  aifection  for  his  friends.  It  was  a  trial  to 
lose  caste  and  inheritance,  and  subject  himself  to  the  scorn 
of  all  who  knew  him.  But  the  severest  trial  was  to  give 
up  his  mother,  and  a  young  wife,  between  whom  and  him- 
self there  was  rare  mutual  affection.  His  anxiety  to  en- 
lighten her  mind  and  win  her  to  Christ  was  intense.  But 
every  effort  to  do  this  alarmed  her  fears,  when  she  would 
leave  him  and  return  to  her  friends.  During  this  period 
my  sympathies  were  so  moved  that  I  seldom  urged  upon 
him.  the  duty  of  publicly  professing  Christ,  but  as  he  was 
almost  daily  in  my  room  to  read  the  Bible  and  pray  with 
me,  I  would  sometimes  turn  to  ^latt.  10  :  32-39.  At  such 
times  his  troubled  look  and  gushing  tears  marked  the  strug- 
gle within,  and  his  feelings  would  find  utterance  in  the 
words:   "  Yes,  I  must,  I  must  give  up  all  for  Christ." 

The  struggle  was  long  and  severe,  but  at  length  grace  tri- 
umphed. Giving  an  account  of  his  baptism  at  the  time,  the 
missionarj'"  says  :  "He  was  baptized  last  Sabbath,  and  has 
thus  far  witnessed  a  good  confession.  A  crowd  of  violent 
Brahmans  assailed  him  immediately  after  the  morning  ser- 
vice, and  pressed  him  so  hard  that  he  took  refuge  in  our 
house.     They  again  interrupted  our  communion-service  in 


VYENKUTRAO.  213 

the  afternoon,  and  we  were  obliged  to  call  in  assistance  from 
the  magistrate  to^  keep  them  quiet." 

"A  severer  trial  is  still  pending  for  this  young  disciple. 
Ilis  parents  will  soon  hear  of  his  apostasy  from  Hinduism, 
and  will  hasten,  with  mingled  rage  and  affection,  to  tear 
him  from  us.  They  can  not  restore  him  to  caste ;  but  hav- 
ing him  once  in  their  power,  they  can  doom  him  to  a  life  of 
disgrace  and  sorrow,  and  prevent  any  active  efforts  by  him 
in  the  cause  of  Christ.  Pray  for  him  that  he  may  have 
grace  to  endure  to  the  end,  and  may  be  delivered  from  the 
wiles  of  the  adversary." 

The  fears  which  were  foreshadowed  in  this  paragraph 
were  soon  and  painfully  realized.  Vyenkutrao's  parents  and 
friends  came  in  great  haste,  and  contrary  to  the  usual  policy 
in  such  cases,  instead  of  coming  directly  to  us  and  gathering 
an  excited  mob,  which  would  have  served  to  alarm  him  and 
put  him  on  his  guard,  at  the  same  time  enabling  us  to  repel 
them  by  aid  of  the  civil  magistrates,  they  encamped  at  a 
distance  in  the  city  and  commenced  their  weeping  and  la- 
mentations, sending  to  their  son  the  most  touching  entreat- 
ies to  come  and  see  them  "  once  iniore^'' 

Vyenkutrao  was  much  agitated,  bursting  into  tears  with 
an  exhibition  of  strong  filial  affection.  His  natural  feel- 
ings impelled  him  strongly  to  go,  but  after  a  season  of  con- 
vereation  and  prayer  he  seemed  strengthened,  and  resolved 
to  avoid  the  peril.  At  length  his  feelings  were  so  wrought 
upon  that  with  a  party  of  native  Christians  and  some  gov- 
ernment peons,  he  went  and  had  an  interview  with  his 
friends.  There  was  much  weeping  on  both  sides,  and  earn- 
est entreaties  were  made  by  the  parents  and  brothers  that 
he  would  go  back  with  them  to  Mominabad.  After  two  or 
three  anxious  hours  the  party  returned  and  we  blessed  God 
for  the  deliverance. 

But  soon  all  our  anxieties  were  again  painfully  aroused. 
In  the  evening  his  parents  sent  pressing  entreaties  for  him 
to  come  and  see  them  "once  more."  Yyenkutrao  wept 
and  begged  to  be  allowed  to  go ;  but  after  another  season 
of  pra^^er  he  seemed  strengthened  and  resolute  to  endure 


214  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

• 

tlie  trial  and  refuse  anotlier  interview.  But  in  the  morn- 
ing liis  feelings  again  overcame  bim.  New  messages  came 
from  his  mother,  representing  that  she  was  sick  nigh  unto 
death,  and  appealing  to  his  affection  in  most  touching  terms. 
Taking  two  or  three  Christian  friends  with  him,  he  hastened 
to  his  mother.  The  native  converts  were  not  allowed  to 
enter  the  house  with  him,  and  the  Hindus,  who  kept  be- 
tween them  and  the  door,  soon  increased  to  hundreds. 
The  converts  were  alarmed  for  Vjenkutrao's  safety,  and 
ran  back  to  inform  me.  I  hastened  to  the  magistrate  and 
begged  his  interference.  It  was  difficult  to  persuade  him 
that  the  case  demanded  his  attention,  but  after  some  delay, 
leisurely  calling  two  peons,  he  bade  them  go  to  the  locality 
indicated  and  see  what  was  transpiring. 

I  waited  their  return  with  anxiety  which  I  could  not  re- 
press. They  came  at  length,  and  very  coolly  reported  that 
the  party  had  taken  their  horses,  and  providing  one  for 
young  Vyenkutrao,  they  hastily  departed  taking  him  with 
them.  This  roused  the  magistrate  a  little,  and  calling  a 
party  of  police  he  bade  them  pursue  the  fugitives  and  bring 
them  all  back.  They  started  off  with  much  apparent  haste 
and  eagerness  to  execute  their  orders,  but  they  were  Hin- 
dus, and  would  feel  far  more  s^anpathy  with  Vyenkutrao's 
friends  than  with  him  or  us. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  the  intense  anxiety  and  the 
many  prayers  with  which  our  hearts  followed  that  dear 
young  man.  The  party  of  police  returned  the  next  day,  re- 
porting that  they  had  pursued  with  all  possible  haste,  but 
had  been  unable  to  overtake  the  fugitives  till  they  passed 
beyond  British  rule  into  the  territories  of  a  native  prince, 
and  they  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  pursue  further. 

Our  hearts  sank  within  us.  We  thought  of  the  danger, 
lest,  under  the  pressure  of  trials  and  persecutions,  he  should 
renounce  his  faith  in  Christ  and  return  to  the  idols ;  or,  if 
he  should  remain  firm,  there  were  the  long  years  of  con- 
finement and  persecution  till  his  spirit  should  be  broken 
and  his  usefulness,  if  not  his  life,  be  destroyed.  In  pub- 
lishing an  account  of  this  convert  at  the  time,  the  editor  of 


VTEXKUTRAO.  215 

the  Missionary  Herald  well  remarked  :  "A  perusal  of  the 
extracts  which  follow,  will  enable  the  friends  of  missions  to 
understand  and  appreciate  the  trials  through  which  many 
are  obliged  to  pass  in  heathen  lands,  on  avowing  themselves 
the  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Nor  is  this  all. 
Some  will  possess  a  better  idea,  after  reading  tlfis  communi- 
cation, of  the  disappointments  and  griefs  to  which  mission- 
aries are  occasionally  subjected." 

For  three  long  months  we  could  get  no  tidings  of  Yyen- 
kutrao.  But  the  Lord  took  care  of  him.  He  was  placed 
in  close  confinement  by  his  friends  and  subjected  to  much 
persecution.  Idols  were  placed  in  his  presence  and  daily 
efforts  made  to  induce  him  to  deny  Christ  and  return  to  the 
faith  of  his  fathers.  But  young  Vj^enkutrao  remained  firm 
to  his  faith,  trusting  in  God.  At  length,  under  his  hard 
fare  and  close  confinement,  his  health  so  gave  way  that  the 
sympathies  of  his  mother  were  moved  in  his  behalf,  and  he 
was  allowed  to  walk  out  a  few  minutes  each  day  in  the  open 
air,  with  a  faithful  Hindu  at  his  side  to  keep  constant  watch 
of  him.  On  one  of  these  walks  he  met  an  Indo-Briton,  and 
exchanged  a  few  words  in  English  which  his  Hindu  attend- 
ant could  not  understand.  The  next  day,  on  his  usual  walk, 
he  went  to  the  place  assigned,  threw  off  his  Brahman  dress 
and  put  on  a  suit  of  English  furnished  by  the  IndoBriton, 
mounted  his  horse,  and  finding  other  horses  posted  for  him 
on  the  road,  he  escaped  as  a  bird  from  the  snare  of  the 
fowler.  His  Hindu  attendant  ran  to  inform  his  parents  and 
fi-iends,  and  preparing  their  horses  they  pursued  with  all 
possible  haste ;  but  the  few  minutes'  start  and  fresh  horses 
on  the  way  gave  Yyenkutrao  the  advantage,  and  he  reached 
us  in  safety.  Let  friends  imagine,  if  they  can,  the  joy  of 
our  hearts  when  this  dear  convert  knocked  at  our  gate  at 
midnight,  and  sought  our  protection  from  his  pursuers. 
The  praying  band  gathei'ed  in  the  house  of  Mary  could 
scarcely  have  been  more  affected  when  Peter  knocked  at 
their  gate.     (Acts  12  :  13.) 

Vj^enkutrao    has   proved   a   firm,   earnest,    and  devoted 
Christian.     So  long  as  he  remained  in  our  mission  he  mani- 


2iG  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

fester!  a  fixed  purpose  to  become  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel 
to  his  countrymen.  When  our  mission  seminary  was  inter- 
dicted and  broken  up,  his  earnest  desire  for  education  de- 
tached him  from  us.  He  left  us  with  tears  and  much  re- 
gret, and  joined  the  institution  of  the  Scotch  Free  Church 
mission  in  Bombay. 

Yyenkutrao  was  the  fifth  interesting  convert  from  this 
favored  seminary.  This  school  brought  him  to  us,  and 
when  it  was  broken  up  he  left  us.  My  space  will  not  allow 
me  to  narrate  the  conversions  of  Uma  Thorat,  Nama  Christi, 
Dhondoo  Sonar,  Tubba  Barsa  and  Guanoo  Powar  • —  five 
more  of  its  pupils  who  were  converted  and  baptized  during 
my  connection  with  it — or  those  of  eight  or  a  dozen  more 
of  my  dear  pupils  in  that  school,  who  have  since  been  bap- 
tized and  received  to  the  church,  either  in  Ahmednuggur  or 
elsewhere. 

Guanoo  Powar,  the  last  mentioned,  was  a  3'Oung  man  of 
much  promise,  and  the  second  beneficiary  of  the  "  M alone 
Juvenile  Mission aky  Society."  If  the  education  and 
conversion  of  this  one  young  Hindu  were  all  the  good  the 
society  had  ever  accomplished,  it  would  be  enough  to  make 
glad  the  hearts  of  the  dear  youth  and  children  of  that  so- 
ciety forever. 

Mr.  M.,  reporting  his  admission  to  the  Church  at  the  time, 
wrote :  "  This  lad  is  much  loved  bj  us  all.  N^o  one  could 
say  any  evil  thing  of  him.  The  church  in  Malone,  IST.  Y., 
has  given  him  the  name  of  their  former  pastor,  and  prayed 
for  him.  We  hope  he  may  some  day  proclaim  to  this  peo- 
ple the  story  of  the  cross." 

It  was  not  the  church,  but  this  "  Malone  Juvenile  Mis- 
siONAKY  Society"  which  educated  young  Guanoo,  and 
gave  him  the  name  of  their  venerated  and  much  loved  pas- 
tor, Eev.  AsHBEL  Parmelee,  D.D.,  who  for  fifty -three 
years  has  stood  on  the  watch-towers  of  Zion  in  Northern 
Kew-York,  preaching  Christ  with  untiring  fidelity  and  zeal, 
and  with  a  strength  of  devotion  and  love  which  led  him  to 
exclaim,  in  a  recent  discourse  before  his  Synod,  that  he 
wortld  gladly  accept  a  commission  from  his  divine  Master 


RELIGIOUS   INTEREST   IX   SEMINARY.  217 

to  continue  preaching  till  tlie  day  of  judgment!  May  a 
portion  of  his  spirit  rest  on  liis  Hindu  namesake  !  Doubt- 
less the  church  also  prayed  for  this  lad,  and  the  Lord  heard 
and  answered.  Let  not  such  societies  lose  their  confidence 
or  waver  in  their  support  of  schools  and  beneficiaries  in 
heathen  lands.  The  funds  they  contribute  and  the  prayers 
they  offer  for  such  schools  and  heathen  youth,  have  been 
owned  of  God.  These  schools  have  shared  in  special  bless- 
ings and  yielded  precious  fruit  to  the  praise  of  his  glory 
and  grace.  Truly  thankful  shall  we  be  if  the  missionary 
ship,  or  any  other  object  which  can  be  presented  for  the 
gifts  of  the  young,  ever  furnishes  a  tithe  of  the  blessed  re- 
sults which  have  already  accrued  from  mission  schools. 
Young  "  Ashbel  Parmelee  "  is  now  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel 
to  his  countrymen. 

Will  the  reader  recall  the  history  of  this  seminary  ?  Bear 
in  mind  that  it  was  sustained  ten  years  without  one  convert, 
and  at  two  or  three  times  the  annual  expense  it  was  incur- 
ring when  abolished ;  and  that  the  tone  of  religious  interest 
and  feeling  was  constantly  and  rapidly  increasing.  In  1849 
we  find  notices  of  this  seminary  in  the  Missionary  Herald^ 
as  follows:  "The  seminary  for  boys  in  Ahmednuggur  con- 
tains fifty-four  pupils,  and  is  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Wilder. 
.  .  .  It  is  in  a  very  interesting  state  at  the  present  time. 
Five  of  the  pupils  have  expressed  much  solicitude  to  Mr. 
W.  respecting  their  spiritual  condition;  and  three  have 
professed  to  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  one  of  them 
liaving  privately  broken  caste." 

In  December,  1849,  the  editor  of  the  Herald  thus  introduces 
a  letter  describing  the  increasing  interest  in  this  seminary. 

"  The  following  extract  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Wilder  will  be 
read  with  interest.  It  will  awaken  gratitude,  and  should  call 
Ibrtli  fervent  prayer." 

The  letter  is  as  follows  : 

"  Just  at  present  we  have  much  to  encourage  us  from  the 
increasing  religious  hiterest  in  the  seminary.  A  little  band  of 
five  or  six  Cliristian  youth,  most  of  them  connected  with  the 
seminarv,  have  long  been  accustomed  to  meet  me  in  my  study 

10 


218  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

one  evening  in  a  week,  to  pray  for  tlie  yonth  connected  with 
our  schools.  These  meetings  have  gradually  increased  in,  in- 
terest, and  the  earnest  prayers  of  some  show  true  anxiety  for 
the  salvation  of  souls ;  and  though  we  rejoice  with  trembling, 
yet  we  have  the  joy  of  feeling  that  some  mercy-drops  are  de- 
scending. 

"  Some  weeks  ago,  one  young  man  in  the  seminary  came, 
voluntarily,  to  converse  about  his  soul.  He  repeated  his  visits, 
evincing  a  most  gratifying  earnestness,  and  soon  there  came 
another  and  another,  and  the  number  has  now  increased  to 
five.  Three  of  them  profess  true  repentance  and  faith  in 
Christ,  and  ask  to  be  received  into  the  Church.  One  has  pri- 
vately broken  caste,  and  thus  given  proof  of  his  firm  purpose 
to  renounce  heathenism. 

"  The  state  of  feeling  in  the  seminary  is  so  marked  as  to  be 
quite  observable  to  all  who  are  praying  for  this  object.  One 
of  our  native  preachers  yesterday  remarked  that  he  thought 
this  must  be  what  we  meant  by  a  revival.  Had  we  a  different 
state  of  society  we  might  hope,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  soon 
to  see  the  whole  school  share  in  it,  manifesting  a  deep  and  gen- 
eral interest  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  As  it  is,  we  feel 
the  most  trembling  solicitude.  Of  the  five  who  come  to  me 
so  frequently,  no  two  are  aw^are  of  each  other's  feelings.  They 
come  singly,  and  late  at  night,  each  supposing  himself  alone  in 
his  anxiety  about  his  soul.  Christians  in  America  might  sup- 
pose this  to  result  from  improper  fear,  and  want  of  courage  to 
confess  Christ  before  men.  But  they  will  think  diflerently 
when  they  know  that  the  mere  suspicion  of  these  yoimg  men's 
state  of  feeling  would  lead  their  parents  to  remove  them  forci- 
bly from  our  school  and  influence,  and  do  all  in  their  power  to 
prevent  them  from  ever  professing  Christ.  It  is  this  fact  which 
dictates  caution.  Were  the  feelings  and  purposes  of  these 
youth  known  beyond  the  gates  of  our  compounds,  a  sad  ex- 
citement would  result.  The  whole  city  would  be  in  an  up- 
roar. The  consequences  would  be  fatal  to  our  hopes  in  regard 
to  others,  if  not,  indeed,  in  regard  to  those  already  anxious ; 
and  many  interesting  youth  would  be  removed  forever  fi'om 
the  reach  of  our  influence.  This  state  of  things,  rightly  viewed, 
will  give  you  a  correct  impression  of  the  painful  caution  and 
extreme  anxiety,  to  which  we  are  constantly  subjected  in  all 
our  direct  labors  for  the  salvation  of  souls.     (It  should  be  un- 


RELIGIOUS   INTEREST   IX  SEMINARY.  219 

derstood  tliat  these  remarks  refer  to  the  conversion  of  those  of 
good  caste.  When  Mahars  are  converted,  there  is  no  excitement. 
Few  notice  or  care  about  it.)  We  have  now  quite  a  number 
of  promising  and  well-educated  youth  in  our  seminary,  whose 
consciences  are  enlightened  and  convinced  of  the  truth,  and 
who  seem  balancing  the  momentous  question,  hesitating  wheth- 
er they  will  yield  to  conscience,  and  the  claims  of  God's  word, 
or  go  back  to  the  darkness  of  idolatry,  or  choose  the  third  al- 
ternative and  become  absolute  infidels.  This  third  class  is  daily 
increasing  in  India,  and  we  must  expect  it  as  an  unavoidable 
result  of  an  increase  of  knowledge,  unsanctified  and  unaccom- 
panied by  that  truth  which  alone  can  make  wise  unto  salva- 
tion. Could  we  speak  to  your  circles  of  praying  Christians, 
we  would  say :  Pray,  pray  earnestly  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
may  come  and  consecrate  this  talent,  and  save  these  precious 
souls.  We  have  great  hope  that  there  is  mercy  in  store  for 
us,  and  that  the  faithful  labors  of  so  many  years  in  this  semi- 
nary are  not  to  be  without  precious  fruit." 

And  again  at  a  later  date : 

"  I  wrote  you  in  July,  giving  some  little  account  of  the  re- 
ligious interest  in  the  seminary.  The  correctness  of  what  I 
then  stated,  in  regard  to  the  extreme  anxiety  we  are  com- 
pelled to  feel,  about  all  good-caste  youth  who  begin  to  mani- 
fest concern  for  their  souls,  has  since  been  painfully  verified. 
During  our  recent  meeting,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  bap- 
tize one  of  the  young  men  to  whom  I  then  alluded.  His  case 
is  mentioned  in  the  minutes  of  our  meeting.  lie  is  a  Koonbe 
of  respectable  talents,  and  we  hope  that  God  will  make  him 
greatly  useful  to  his  countrymen.  His  father  is  connected 
with  the  army,  and  all  his  friends,  just  now,  are  several  hun- 
dred miles  distant.  On  this  account,  we  had  reason  to  expect 
less  excitement  at  his  baptism,  and  besides,  he  was  received 
into  the  Church  in  the  middle  of  a  vacation  in  the  seminary 
From  both  circumstances  combined,  we  hoped  the  event  might 
pass  without  causing  so  much  alarm  as  usual,  to  the  seminary 
scholars.  But  such  events  do  not  take  place  without  being 
known,  and  exciting  commotion,  among  these  hosts  of  idola- 
ters. The  young  men  themselves  are  not  alarmed ;  but  their 
parents  are,  and  wish  to  remove  them,  at  once  and  entirely, 


220  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

from  our  influence.  The  scholars  are  unwilling  to  leave  us, 
and  resort  to  entreaty,  and  sometimes  deceive  tlieir  parents, 
and  continue  to  come  under  false  pretenses.  In  the  present 
case  all  have  returned  with  the  exception  of  three ;  but  the 
only  condition  of  their  doing  so,  is  that  they  be  allowed  to 
come  as  day-scholars.  Not  one  remains  in  the  compound.  The 
parents  of  some  are  sadly  alarmed ;  but  we  are  much  gratified 
to  see  the  scholars  appreciate  their  privileges  and  anxious  to 
improve  them.  The  religious  interest  among  them  increased 
steadily  to  the  close  of  the  term  ;  and  though  they  are  now 
more  reserved  and  cautious,  yet  I  have  good  evidence  that 
four  or  five  still  retain  their  convictions,  and  I  trust  they  will, 
ere  long,  gain  courage  to  give  up  all  for  Christ." 

And  well  does  the  editor  of  the  Herald  add : 

"  Certainly  prayer  should  be  ofiered  by  Christians,  not  only 
for  these  young  men,  but  for  the  missionary,  w^ho,  at  a  time  so 
critical,  is  their  instructor." 

I^Tow,  ill  view  of  tlie  precious  converts  gathered  in  during 
the  few  last  years  of  this  seminary,  and  this  increasing  in- 
terest in  it,  was  there  not  abundant  reason  to  regard  and 
cherish  this  institution  with  increasing  favor?  Commenced, 
as  it  was,  at  the  express  desire  of  the  Secretary  and  Pru- 
dential Committee,  though  with  the  warm  approval  and 
cooperation  of  the  missionaries,  and  commended  through  all 
its  years  of  barrenness,  how  could  it  be  otherwise  than  that 
all  hearts  should  rejoice  in  the  rich  clusters  of  fruit  it  began 
to  bear,  and  that  they  should  foster  it  with  increasing  care  ? 

Change  of  Policy,  disparaging  the  Schools. 

Strange  to  say,  just  at  this  juncture,  when  special  blessings 
were  resting  on  this  seminary,  a  change  of  policy  was  devel- 
oped in  Boston,  and  a  resolution  taken  to  break  up  this 
promising  school — to  put  out  this  ^' eye  of  our  mission^  In 
18-i-o,  when  this  seminary  had  been  in  operation  nine  or  ten 
years  at  heavy  exiDcnse  and  without  a  single  convert,  we 
find  the  Annual  Keport  of  the  Board  putting  on  record  the 
following  resolution : 


CHANGE   OF  POLICY.  221 

*'  In  regard  to  the  mission  at  Ahmednuggnr,  your  commit- 
tee particularly  notice  the  prosperous  state  of  the  schools^  and 
the  general  interests  of  rejigion." 

Of  this  very  seminary  the  report  says :  "  /«!  seems  especially 
io  call  for  commendation^ 

A  similar  resolution  was  recorded  in  the  report  of  1819, 
and  the  blessing  of  heaven  was  resting  upon  it  and  gather- 
ing its  interesting  and  promising  youth  into  the  fold  of 
Christ.  In  view  of  these  facts,  who  can  repress  both  grief 
and  surprise  at  the  sudden  change  of  sentiment  in  regard  to 
this  seminary?  In  the  Annual  Eeport  of  1851,  we  find  the 
following : 

"In  this  mission  the  boarding-schools,  of  which  the  seminary 
at  AhmedniKjgur  is  one,  have  not  answered  so  valuable  a  pur- 
pose as  to  warrant  a  continued  appropriation  for  their  sup- 
port" ! 

This  change  was  sudden  and  suddenly  enforced. 

Dr.  Andersons  Letter  of  May  10th,  1851. 

In  July,  1851,  we  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Anderson  in- 
terdicting these  schools,  and  removing  Mr.  Burgess  at  once, 
and  Mr.  Wilder  after  some  delay,  from  Ahmednuggur,  each 
to  commence  a  new  mission.  In  regard  to  the  schools,  the 
instructions  were  peremptory,  as  follows : 

"1.  The  Prudential  Committee  have  unanimously  come  to 
the  conclusion,  that  they  ought  not  to  make  appropriations,  after 
the  present  year,  for  the  support  and  continuance  of  the  setni- 
nary  at  Ahmednugr/ur. 

"  2.  As  the  committee  see  no  proper  use  for  hoarding-schools 
at  any  of  the  stations,  they  will  discontinue  appropriations  for 
such,  after  the  present  year. 

"  3.  The  Committee  deem  it  their  duty  no  longer  to  make 
appropriations  for  day-schools  taught  hy  heathen  masters,^''  etc. 

It  will  be  seen  at  a  glance  that  this  change  was  sudden 
and  sweeping. 


222  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

Action  of  the  Mission. 

How  was  it  regarded  by  the  missionaries  ?  Did  tliey  sliow 
any  disposition  to  disregard  instructions?  Far  otherwise. 
Much  as  these  instructions  conflicted  witli  their  convictions 
and  all  their  previous  practice,  and  disastrous  as  they  fore- 
saw the  results  would  be,  they  took  prompt  action  in  com- 
pliance with  these  instructions  as  follows  : 

^^JResolvedy  That  the  allowance  for  food  and  clothing  to  schol- 
ars in  the  different  boarding-schools  be  discontinued  from  the 
close  of  the  present  month. 

'"''JResolved,  That  all  free-schools  taught  by  heathen  teachers 
be  discontinued  from  the  close  of  the  present  month." 

In  view  of  this  prompt  action  by  the  missionaries,  and 
their  readiness  to  obey  instructions  against  their  own  convic- 
tions, may  we  not  properly  ask,  what  necessity  for  Deputa- 
tions? Might  not  the  unfortunate  high-school  in  the  Bom- 
bay mission  have  been  interdicted  in  the  same  way  in  1854, 
without  involving  so  much,  expense  of  time  and  money  in 
sending  a  Deputation  for  this  purpose  ? 

This  summary  action  cut  off  the  schools  at  a  blow.  It 
was  modified  a  little,  however,  by  subsequent  action.  The 
girls'  schools  under  the  care  of  Miss  Farrar,  though  taught 
by  heathen  teachers,  were  made  special  exceptions.  I  knew 
that  if  the  school  at  ISTewase  sliould  be  disbanded  it  would 
cut  off  the  connection  of  the  native  preacher  with  the  people 
to  a  great  extent,  and  render  his  longer  residence  there 
almost  useless.  I  therefore  begged  my  brethren  to  spare 
that  school  until  I  could  represent  the  case  and  intercede  for 
it  with,  the  Secretary  and  Committee  in  Boston.  The  breth- 
ren granted  my  request,  and  that  school  was  spared  and 
prospered  till  the  Deputation  suppressed  it  1854. 

Brother  Hazen,  too,  begged  the  same  favor  for  two  or 
three  of  his  schools  taught  by  heathen  teachers  at  Seroor,  and 
his  request  was  granted. 

I  made  no  effort  to  save  the  boarding  character  of  the 
seminary,  having  gradually  reduced  that  element  till  I  felt 


AIIMEDNUGGUR  SEMINARY.  223 

prepared  to  try  to  retain  the  pupils  by  the  inducement  of 
English  only.  The  great  attraction  to  pupils  of  the  higher 
castes  had  always  been  the  privilege  of  learning  English. 
And  now,  as  our  free-schools  with  heathen  teachers  were 
abandoned,  this  element  of  our  seminary  was  our  only  effect- 
ive link  connecting  us  with  the  high  castes.  I  therefore 
felt  extremely  anxious  to  retain  this  link  unbroken,  and  as 
effective  as  possible. 

Reduced  Expense  of  the  Seminary. 

It  may  interest  some  minds  to  note  the  gradual  and  great 
reduction  in  the  expense  of  this  seminary  its  last  six  years. 
For  its  first  ten  years,  its  annual  expense  had  been  from 
Es.  2000  to  lis.  3000.  From  181-2  to  1816,  its  annual  ex- 
pense, (including  the  primary  department  called  the  "Christ- 
ian school,")  as  taken  from  the  records  of  the  mission  trea- 
surer, is  as  follows : 

1842.    1843.    1844.    1845.    1846. 
Rs.     Rs.     Rs.     Rs.     Rs. 
Total  expense, 2998    1925    25*70    2749    1924 

From  1846  to  1851,  the  period  of  my  connection  with  it, 
the  reduction  of  expense  appears  from  the  following  items 
taken,  as  the  above,  from  the  records  of  the  mission  trea- 
surer : 

1846.    1847.    1848.    1849.    1850.    1851. 

Total  expense, Rs.  1924     1311     1292     1349     1142       844 

Number  of  pupils, 49         80         80         82         63         83 

Expense  for  board  of  pupils  and  )j^^j528       925       830       867       687       389 
incidentals, ) 

The  last  row  of  figures  shows  what  proportion  of  the  en- 
tire expense  went  for  the  board  of  the  pupils  and  the  inci- 
dentals of  the  school,  and  how  rapidly  its  boarding  element 
was  disappearing.  Its  boarding  expense  diminished  more 
rapidly  than  its  total  expense,  because  in  its  first  years  native 
helpers  were  often  employed  in  it  as  teachers,  their  salary 
being  charged  under  the  item  of  native  helpers  ;  but  in  the 
later  years  of  the  school,  those  helpers  being  removed  to 
other  duties,  new  teachers  were  employed,  and  their  salaries 


22-4  MISSION   SCHOOLS, 

cliarged  to  tlie  seminary.  Witli  the  eye  upon  the  last  row 
of  figures,  wbicli  indicate  the  boarding  and  incidental  ex- 
pense of  the  school,  is  it  not  manifest  that  a  year  or  two 
more  would  have  entirely  removed  its  boarding  character  ? 
There  was  much  reason  to  hope,  too,  that  by  this  gradual 
reduction  the  institution  would  lose  nothing  in  the  number 
and  character  of  its  pupils  and  still  secure  us  valuable  con- 
nection and  influence  with  the  young  men  of  the  higher  castes. 

The  sudden  suppression  of  its  boarding  character,  gave  an 
unhappy  shock  to  the  school,  but  anxious  to  save  it  if  pos- 
sible, I  entreated  my  brethren  to  allow  me  to  continue  one 
lesson  a  day  in  English,  and  see  if,  by  this  alone,  I  could  not 
retain  these  interesting  youth  under  our  Christian  teaching. 
They  granted  my  request  for  three  or  four  months,  till  I 
should  have  time  to  urge  my  plea  and  hear  again  from 
Boston. 

The  result  exceeded  my  most  sanguine  expectations.  In- 
stead of  falling  off,  there  was  an  actual  increase,  and  the 
year  closed  with  83  pupils. 

Reporting  the  seminary  at  this  juncture,  the  Missionary 
Herald  saj^s :  ♦ 

"  The  seminary  has  from  the  first  embraced  many  puj^ils  from 
the  higher  castes.  It  was  because  of  the  difficulty  of  bringing 
such  persons  under  the  influence  of  the  mission,  that  it  was 
originally  made  a  boarding-school.  And  this  difticulty  has  been 
felt  to*  such  an  extent,  that  lieretofore  a  change  has  not  been 
thought  practicable.  And  even  now  we  fully  expected  that 
many  of  the  pupils  would  leave.  But  the  school  had  in  a  mea- 
sure become  prepared  for  the  change  by  a  gradual  diminution, 
for  four  or  five  years  past,  both  of  the  allowance  for  board  and 
of  the  number  who  received  it ;  so  that  to  our  surprise  more 
scholars  have  entered  since  the  change  than  have  left  on  account 
of  it. 

"  The  religious  interest  in  the  seminary  has  been  such  .  .  . 
as  to  encourage  the  hope  that  the  convictions  of  several  young 
men  will  prove  deep  and  genuine,  and  ultimately  result  in  a 
public  profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ.  One  of  them  indeed 
has  made  such  a  profession  since  the  close  of  the  year,"  and  an- 
other in  November. 


EESULTS  OF  BREAKING  UP  TKE   SCHOOLS.  225 

"Will  it  not  be  supposed  that  sucli  pleasing  results  would 
have  secured  the  perpetuity  of  this  school  ?  that  the  home 
officers  seeing  it  able  to  go  on  and  prosper  without  its  board- 
ing character,  w'ould  rejoice  in  its  success  and  withdraw  their 
interdict  ?  Oh !  what  a  vantage-ground  for  good  was  here 
sacrificed.  Anxiously  we  waited  their  permission  to  continue 
the  school  on  this  new  foundation,  but  it  came  not,  and  this 
useful  and  favored  seminary  ceased  to  exist. 

Unhappy  Results  of  breaking  up  the  Schools. 

It  will  be  readily  inferred  that  this  sudden  change  of 
policy  must  have  shaken  the  mission  severely.  The  intima- 
tions of  this  change,  in  the  Missionary  Herald.,  and  of  its 
results,  are  extremel}^  laconic  : 

*'  Important  changes  have  been  made  in  the  educational  sys- 
tem at  Ahmednuggur.  All  the  boarding-schools  .  ...  were 
discontinued  in  September,  together  with  such  of  the  boys'  free 
schools,  nine  in  number,  as  were  under  the  care  of  heathen 
teachers. 

"  Tlie  year  has  necessarily  been  much  broken.  .  .  .  There 
is  hardly  a  beghining  made  yet  in  reconstructing  the  schools." 

The  manuscript  report  of  the  mission  brings  to  view  the 
unhappy  results  of  disbanding  the  free  schools  as  follows : 

*'  The  disbanding  our  7iine  boys''  free  schools  was  a  measure 
which  we  could  not  adopt  without  some  concern.  It  proved, 
as  we  expected,  an  occasion  of  exultation  on  the  part  of  op- 
posers.  These  understand  not  the  silent  operations  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  judge  of  our  influence  and  the  progress  of 
our  work  only  from  our  visible  operations.  No  wonder  that 
the  disbanding  of  so  large  a  number  of  scliools  furnislied  tliem 
occasion  for  a  temporary  triumph.  The  ready  inference  to 
their  minds  was,  that  our  resources  were  failing,  and  many  ex- 
ultingly  predicted  that  Ave  should  soon  leave  the  country." 

This  impression  was  injurious  to  our  work,  and  might 
easily  have  been  avoided.     It  will  readily  be  seen  that  if 
these  schools  were  to  be  abandoned,  it  sliould  have  been 
10- 


226  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

done  gradually^  and  the  mission  spared  the  shock  of  such  a 
sudden  and  sweeping  change. 

The  year  before  these  schools  were  interdicted,  one  of  the 
missionaries,  while  on  a  preaching-tour,  wrote  to  Dr.  Ander- 
son, Aug.  8,  1850,  as  follows : 

"  The  average  expense  of  each  school  is  about  Rs.  6  per 
month.  As  the  subject  of  schools  is  latterly  receiving  consid- 
erable attention  from  you,  allow  me  to  express  my  honest  con- 
victions of  the  wisdom  of  this  expenditure,  and  the  utility  of  • 
these  agencies.  .  .  .  Our  common-school  system  is  of  long 
standing,  and  in  my  opiniou  does  great  credit  to  its  originators, 
the  former  missionaries.  It  graduates  the  pay  of  the  teacher 
according  to  the  number  and  progress  of  his  pupils,  and  conse- 
quently, the  more  strictly  the  rules  are  applied  to  a  certain 
limit,  the  less  expensive,  and  at  the  same  time,  the  more  effi- 
cient becomes  the  school.  The  schools  for  Christian  children 
are  an  exception  to  this  rule,  the  number  of  scholars  being 
small  and  the  pay  of  the  teacher  being  fixed.  Of  all  these 
schools  I  may  say,  every  time  I  visit  them,  I  am  strongly  im- 
pressed with  a  conviction  of  their  importance.  Their  entire 
expense  is  about  Rs.  80  per  month,  say  Rs.  1000  a  year.  The 
annual  expense  of  our  station  is  some  Rs.  18,000  or  Rs.  20,000. 
You  can  easily  compare  the  different  kinds  of  labor,  and  judge 
whether  too  much  goes  to  this  department.  Preaching  is 
urged  as  the  great  work,  and  rightly  too.  But  I  must  say  I 
tour  and  preach  with  very  different  apparent  success  and  plea- 
sure, too,  in  this  region  where  we  are  known  by  our  schools. 
I  can  not  avoid  feeling  that  in  no  loay  can  ice  so  speedily  com- 
niunicate  a  correct  hnoidedge  of  the  Christian  religiori  to  the 
masses  of  any  particular  district  as  by  means  of  schools — in 
no  other  way  can  loe  do  it  so  economically. 

"  The  extra  expense  of  a  missionary  on  tour,  alone^  varies 
from  two  to  three  rupees  per  day.  [With  his  family,  it  is  gen- 
erally  more.]  It  is  safe  to  say  the  extra  expense  of  two  days 
on  tour  will  support  a  common  school  a  whole  month.  In  two 
days  a  tourist  may  declare  his  message,  perhaps  in  four  vil- 
lages— be  partially  understood,  and  hope  and  pray  for  a  bless- 
ing on  the  seed  sown  by  the  wayside  —  on  soil  rocky  and 
barren,  or  all  rank  with  thorns  and  thistles — no  previous 
preparation,  no   after  cultivation.     With   God    all   things    are 


RESULTS   OF  BREAKING   UP  THE  SCHOOLS.  227 

possible,  but  it  does  not  often  prove  possible  to  realize  any 
manifest  fruit  from  such  labor. 

"But  the  school— does  fruit  appear  here?  To  me  there 
does.  Truth  is  fixed  in  the  child's  mind.  The  Lord's  prayer, 
\.ii\\  commandments  and  catechisms,  become  as  familiar  as  the 
language  of  the  nursery.  They  must  be  remembered.  They 
xoill  be  remembered,  in  most  cases  for  life.  And  to  prevent 
their  having  an  influence  on  the  mind  and  character  of  the 
child,  is  to  reverse  the  order  of  nature.  They  do  have  an  influ- 
ence. The  children  in  all  our  schools  are  generally  convinced 
of  the  absolute  folly  of  idolatry  and  heathen  superstitions. 
Some  of  them  manifest  this  conviction  by  direct  acts  of  disre- 
spect— throwing  stones,  and  showing  other  abuse  to  the  idols. 
Now  can  any  intelligent  person  avoid  seeing  and  feeling  that 
among  the  children  of  these  schools  there  is  a  foundation  laid 
for  the  most  hopeful  results  in  coming  years  ?  that  such  a  pro- 
cess of  education  will  of  itself  eventually  undermine  Hinduism  ? 

"  But  must  we  wait  for  future  generations  to  witness  saving 
results  from  these  schools  ?  Not  so.  Have  not  all  these  child- 
ren parents  ?  and  is  not  much  of  this  truth  communicated  to 
them  by  the  children  ?  and  in  just  the  way  to  be  received  with 
the  least  prejudice?  And  not  only  the  parents,  but  all  the 
people  of  the  village,  many  from  the  neighboring  villages,  and 
the  traveller  fiom  a  distance,  come  in  contact  with  these  child- 
ren and  schools,  and  thus  with  the  truth.  In  some  instances 
parents  are  enraged  by  the  truth,  and  then  the  school  must 
stop ;  but  if  they  tolerate  it,  that  moment  truth  gains  a 
victory." 

With  such  experience  and  convictions,  it  will  readily  be 
imagined  that  this  great  and  sudden  change  of  policy,  in- 
volving the  exclusion  of  English  from  the  seminary,  and  its 
consequent  extinction,  as  well  as  the  suppression  of  our  nine 
high-caste  free  schools,  could  not  go  into  effect  without  caus- 
ing much  pain  and  sorrow  to  those  of  the  missionaries  most 
deeply  interested  in  them.  Some  brief  expression  of  their 
views  in  this  connection,  is  necessary  to  a  proper  under- 
standing of  the  case. 


228  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

Iietter  from  the  Mission  Secretary  to  Dr.  Anderson. 

The  pastor  of  the  native  church  being  also  secretary  of 
the  mission,  forwarding  the  minutes  of  their  meeting,  at 
which  action  was  taken  abolishing  the  schools,  according  to 
instructions,  wrote  to  Dr.  A.  as  follows  : 

"  In  forwarding  the  minutes  of  our  annual  meeting,  it  seems 
to  be  a  fitting  occasion  for  the  frank  expression  of  individual 
views.  The  action  of  the  mission  in  regard  to  schools  has  dis- 
banded them,  [as  you  directed.]  You  will  not  wonder  that 
those  of  us  who  have  been  most  deeply  interested  and  engaged 
in  these  schools,  see  them  disbanded  with  reluctance  and  some 
misoiviDgs.  I  dare  say  you  will  more  pity  than  blame  us  in 
this  matter." 

Pleading  for  the  seminary,  he  writes  : 

"  I  feel  constrained  to  give  my  opinion,  and  I  think  I  can  do 
so  disinterestedly,  from  the  fact  that  I  must  soon  leave  it  and 
all  my  labors  in  this  mission,  [and  go  to  Kolapoor.]  Our  good- 
caste  free  schools  being  disbanded,  the  seminary  is  now  the 
only  connecting  link  between  us  and  the  good-caste  people. 
Exclude  English  and  the  higher  Mahratta  studies,  and  [by  the 
certain  withdrawal  of  our  good-caste  pupils]  our  acquaintance, 
intercourse,  and  influence  with  the  inteUigent  part  of  the  com- 
munity, will  almost^  if  not  entirely  cease.  This  would  be  a 
two-fold  evil.  While  it  would  destroy  our  influence  with  those 
above,  it  would  weaken  it  with  those  below.  Such  is  human 
nature  the  world  over.  Our  labors  with  the  higher  castes  do 
serve  to  give  us  more  favor  with  the  lower  castes.  They  also 
give  us  desirable  facilities  for  elevating  the  lower  castes.  In 
our  seminary,  all  castes,  the  highest  and  lowest,  are  brought 
together  on  the  same  seats,  and  in  the  same  classes,  without 
the  sliGjhtest  distinction  —  a  state  of  thino^s  never  hitherto 
tolerated  in  government  schools.  To  understand  the  full  value 
of  this  practice,  you  need  to  come  in  contact,  year  after  year, 
with  this  abominable  system  of  caste.  The  good  influence  of 
our  seminary  in  this  one  particular  will,  I  fear,  never  be  fully 
appreciated  in  America.  The  gradual  breaking  down  of  caste 
prejudice,  and  the  increasing  conviction  of  truth  in  the  minds 


I:ETTEK    FROM   THE    MISSION    SECRETAUV.  22f> 

of  these  young  men,  is  something  which  can  not  be  definitely 
ostiniated.  We  want  ii  report  of  so  many  actual  conversions, 
and  then  we  can  estimate  progress.  ]May  the  Lord  grant  us 
such  evidence  of  progress.  We  will  labor  and  pray  for  it  in 
confident  hope,  and  at  the  same  time  try  not  to  undervalue  the 
smaller  tokens  of  his  love." 

Referring  to  the  large  number  of  converts  of  most  hopeful 
jDromise,  already  gathered  iu  from*  the  pupils  of  the  semi- 
nary, in  the  last  five  years,  he  next  speaks  of  the  inquirers : 

"  There  has  been  a  hopeful  state  of  feeling  in  the  seminary 
during  much  of  the  past  year.  For  the  last  five  months  the 
twelve  living  on  mission  premises  have  been  accustomed  to 
meet  with  me  or  their  Christian  teacher  for  prayer  and  instruc- 
tion, every  evening  in  the  week,  when  not  engaged  in  public 
exercises.  Xursoo,  Xarayan,  Ramchunder,  Vithoo,  ITussana, 
and  some  others  of  the  most  advanced  young  men,  are  free  to 
confess  their  honest  convictions  of  the  truth.  Dada  Meer  and 
Dhondoo  Sonxir  are  askino:  for  admission  to  the  Church.  Xow 
can  it  be  wise  to  thrust  these  young  men  entirely  beyond  our 
influence  ?  We  do  so,  of  course,  if  Ave  exclude  English  and 
the  higher  Mahratta  studies. 

"  I  shall  be  the  last  man  to  lack  interest  in  efforts  among  the 
Mahars  and  '  village  congregations.'  .  .  .  But  I  beg  you 
will  not  imaghie  the  two  modes  of  labor  at  all  conflict  with 
each  other.  Our  educational  eflbrts  for  the  higher  castes  serve 
the  better  to  commend  us  to  the  lower  castes,  and  give  us 
faciUlies  for  elevating  the  latter  as  above  stated.  My  earnest 
feeling,  therefore,  is,  do  not  shut  us  up  exclusively  to  the 
Mahars.  Let  us  have  at  least  one  school  in  ^vhich  we  may 
hold  out  the  inducement  to  good-caste  young  men  of  a 
thorough  education  in  the  higher  vernacular  studies,  and  one 
third  of  their  Ics-sons  in  English.  Such  a  school  in  reality  will 
involve  little  or  no  expense.  The  mission  will  always,  I  hope, 
have  some  Christian  young  men,  like  Rama  and  Vyenkutrao, 
Avho  had  better  be  engaged  in  the  teaching  and  care  of  such  a 
school  than  not.  They  will  do  very  nearly,  perhaps  absolutely, 
as  much  good  by  preaching  in  vacation  and  out  of  school-hours, 
as  if  they  had  no  school  duties  ;  whereas  these  constant,  regu- 
lar duties,  furnish  the  most  desirable  kind  of  discipline  in  fitting 


230  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

them  to  become  native  preachers.  Let  us,  then,  by  all  mean?:, 
liave  a  school  of  tliis  character — a  good  school,  in  which  one 
third  of  the  lessons  maybe  in  English,  and  the  higher  Mahratta 
studies  shall  be  fliithfally  taught — and  let  us  bring  all  these 
intelligent  children  and  youth  into  it  that  we  can,  and  then 
labor  to  convince  them  of  the  truth,  and  pray  for  the  Spirit  of 
God  to  convert  them.  The  mission  has  put  the  school  upon 
this  basis  for  the  present,  and  I  trust  it  will  meet  your  cordial 
approval  as  a  permanent  arrangement." 

The  disappointment  of  this  hope,  and  the  breaking  up  of 
the  seminary  at  the  close  of  1851,  bave  been  already  men- 
tioned. Referring  to  the  unsettled  state  of  things  around 
bim,  the  mission  secretary  continues : 

"The  disbanding  of  the  schools  has  produced  some  sensa- 
tion. Opposers  exult,  thinking  our  resources  are  failing,  and 
that  our  influence  will  consequently  diminish.  Some  inquirers 
have  gone  back,  and  Ave  have  reason  to  fear  will  walk  no  more 
Avith  us.  .  .  .  One  result  of  the  new  state  of  things,  which 
gives  me  much  anxiety,  is  disaffection  on  the  part  of  our  native 
helpers." 

The  writer  being  in  charge  of  tlie  seminary,  and  still 
clinging  to  the  bope  that  tbe  oflicers  in  Boston  would  per- 
mit bim  to  continue  teacbing  Englisb,  bad  suffered  tbe  year 
to  close  witbout  informing  tbe  students  that  tbe  school  was 
interdicted ;  and  then  be  allowed  a  montb's  vacation,  that 
be  migbt  bave  ample  time  to  bear  from  Boston  before  the 
next  term  should  commence.  But  wben  tbe  vacation  closed, 
and  no  reprieve  came,  be  found  it  necessarj^  to  discontinue 
English,  and  witness  tbe  unbappy  results  he  bad  so  earnestly 
sought  to  prevent.  Writing  to  tbe  Secretary  of  tbe  Board 
soon  after  this  event^  be  says : 

"  It  has  cost  me  a  severe  struggle,  and  I  have  been  unable  to 
witness  the  result  without  much  pain.  About  half  our  good- 
caste  pupils  have  left  us,  and  others  are  ready  to  follow  them. 
The  direction  to  discontinue  teaching  English  I  sent  in  to  the 
head  teacher  from  the  villages  while  on  a  preaching-tour.  Since 
coming  in  myself,  I  have  been  besieged  by  the  pupils  entreating 


UNHAPPY   RESULTS   OF  THE   CHANGE.  ^31 

me  to  allow  them  to  resume  their  one — only  one  lesson  a  day 
ill  English.  I  must  confess  this  interdict  of  English  in  the  pre- 
sent state  of  our  mission,  seems  to  me  most  unwise.  As  I  look 
upon  these  young  men  of  high  caste,  on  whom  the  mission  has 
already  expended  thousands  of  rupees,  (between  two  and  three 
thousand  rupees  have  actually  been  expended  for  board,  etc.,  on 
these  same  young  men,)  with  an  amount  of  painstaking  and 
strength-consuming  labor  which  can  not  be  estimated,  and  now 
see  them  leaving  and  scattering  in  every  direction — many  of 
them  in  such  a  state  of  mind  that  we  had  begun  to  regard  them 
as  near  the  kingdom,  but  now  going  to  government  schools, 
under  Roman  and  heathen  influences,  at  all  events,  thrust  away 
from  our  influence,  and  that  most  likely  forever ;  I  confess  I 
can  not  avoid  feeling  deeply  and  painfully.  They  had  formed  a 
personal  attachment  for  us,  and  the  mere  indulgence  of  one  les- 
son a  day  in  English  would  retain  them  under  our  influence,  at- 
tending all  our  religious  services,  and  listening  to  Christian 
instruction  an  hour  daily.  But  we  turn  them  away  !  To  be 
sure  I  can  comfort  myself  with  Wvq  fact  that  the  responsibility 
of  this  act  rests  entirely  with  others,  but  this  does  not  make 
amends  for  the  lasting  injury  to  this  mission  and  the  cause  of 
Christ  here.  But  the  Lord  is  able  to  bring  good  out  of  evil 
and  in  him  will  we  trust." 

This  exclusion  of  English  virtually  broke  up  the  seminary 
at  once,  though  a  few  Christian  and  low-caste  bo3^s  remained. 
Not  only  did.  the  good-caste  young  men  leave,  but  several 
of  our  most  promising  converts  left  also,  being  influenced  by 
a  strong  desire  and  purpose  to  obtain  a  good  education. 
Rama  Bbore,  Vyenkutrao,  Tukeram,  Suddoo,  and  several 
others  sought  admission  to  the  institution  of  the  Scotch  Free 
Church  Mission  in  Bombav.  A  feeling  of  disaffection  ex- 
tensively  pervaded  the  churcli  and  native  Christian  com- 
munity at  Ahmednuggur,  and  several  children  of  our  native 
helpers  left  and  followed  our  converts  and  inquirers  to  Bom- 
bay. Three  of  these  were  children  of  Hurripunt,  the  first 
Brabman  convert  of  the  mission.  AVith  much  anxious  effort 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hume  diverted  these  into  the  girls'  boarding- 
school  of  our  Bombay  mission,  where  under  the  faithful 
teaching  of  IMrs.  Hume,  two  of  them  were  hopefully  con- 
verted. 


232  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

In  view  of  these  results  of  disbanding  the  Ahmedimggur 
Seminary,  few  will  wonder  at  the  feelings  expressed  in  a 
letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Board,  under  date  of  April  5, 
1852,  as  follows  : 

"  It  is,  perhaps,  too  late  to  urge  any  further  plea  in  behalf  of 
this  seminary  ;  but  as  I  look  back  upon  its  history  I  can  not 
prevent  tlie  question  often  arising  in  my  mind,  whence  the 
special  flivor  to  this  school  for  more  than  ten  years,  when  its 
annual  expense  was  from  Rs.  2000  to  Rs.  3000,  and  not  a  soli- 
tary conversion  among  its  pupils,  and  the  sudden  and  total  re- 
version of  feeUng  in  regard  to  it  since  the  expense  has  become 
some  two  thirds  less,  and  the  blessing  of  Heaven  has  begun  to 
rest  so  largely  upon  it  ?" 

I  submit  this  question  to  tlie  officers  of  the  Board  and  the 
candid  reader. 

The  unhappy  results  of  disbanding  our  schools  at  Ahmed- 
nuggur  led  our  brethren  in  Bombay  to  feel  more  than  ever 
before  the  necessity  of  a  high-school  there.  They  saw  our 
converts — the  hope  of  the  mission  for  native  helpers  in  time 
to  come — leaving  us  and  going  to  other  missions  and  insti- 
tutions to  prosecute  their  education.  They  knew  the}''  would 
be  likely  to  remain  in  the  connection  where  they  received 
their  education,  or  be  diverted  to  secular  pursuits,  and  j)er- 
haps  fall  away  entirely.  It -was  a  time  of  intense  feeling  and 
painfid  trial  to  our  brethren  in  Bombay,  and  they  resolved 
to  do  what  they  could  to  stay  the  tide  of  evil.  Hence  those 
spirit-stirring  appeals  in  Chapter  TV.,  entreating  the  officers 
of  the  Board  to  autliorize  a  High-School  in  Bombay.  And 
here  we  arrive  at  the  fact  that  the  prohibition  of  English 
in  the  Ahmednuggur  Seminary  in  1851,  was  the  exciting 
cause  of  the  Deputation,  with  all  its  expenditure  of  time,  and 
money,  and  feeling,  in  1854-6. 

I  have  thus  far  endeavored  faithfully  to  exhibit  the  lead- 
ing facts  connected  with  the  schools  of  the  Ahmednuggur 
mission.  If  I  have  succeeded,  comment  is  unnecessary.  I 
may  be  frank  enough  to  express  my  honest  conviction  that 
this  authoritative  suppression  of  our  schools  was  a  manifest 
departure  from  the  broad  and  liberal  principles  of  the  found- 


UNHAPPY   RESULTS  OF  THE  CHANGE.  28^ 

ers  and  friends  of  tlie  Board,  and  has  proved  unhappy  and 
injurious  to  the  best  interests  of  the  mission.  But  having 
said  this  much,  let  us  throw  a  mantle  of  charity  over  the 
actors  in  this  scene.  Serious  error  was  committed,  but  it 
was  doubtless  an  error  of  the  judgment  and  not  of  the  heart. 
May  the  Lord  so  overrule  events  that  the  evils  resulting  may 
be  soon  modified,  and  valuable  experience  be  gained  for  the 
future  prosecution  of  our  blessed  work. 

A  gradual  return  to  some  of  the  former  practices  of  the 
mission  commenced  long  ago.  Ko  hoarding  or  English 
schools  are  reported^  but  schools  exist  into  which  promising 
children  of  both  sexes  are  received,  siqoported,  and  educated 
at  the  expense  of  the  mission^  and  a  few  of  the  most  promising 
scholars  are  instructed  in  English.  To  be  sure,  some  will 
doubt  whether  it  is  wise  for  a  missionary  to  spend  time  and 
strength  in  teaching  English  to  two  or  three  Christian  boys 
ahne^  when  he  might  at  the  same  time  teach  them  and 
twenty  or  thirty  young  Brahman s  with  them,  thus  bringing 
the  most  intelligent  Hindu  youth  under  his  Christian  influ- 
ence. But  the  fact  that  teaching  English  has  been  resumed 
at  all  in  this  mission,  gives  encouragement  to  hope  that  both 
English  and  general  education  will  ultimately  regain  their 
proper  place  and  importance  there. 

The  shock  to  our  mission  from  this  sudden  breaking  up 
of  the  schools  and  sending  back  so  many  pupils  to  heathen- 
ism, can  hardly  be  appreciated  at  this  distance.  The  year 
1851  commenced  witli  about  one  thousand  youth  under  our 
Christian  teaching.  It  closed  with  only  a  few  dozens.  The 
report  of  the  Board  for  1852  says,  "  The  mission  have  but 
one  school  for  bo3^s  in  Ahmednuggur,"  and  their  three  Ma- 
har  schools  in  the  villages  contained  in  all  only  "sixty  sclio- 
lars."  One  school  with  a  heathen  teacher,  that  at  Newase, 
was  still  tolerated,  and  the  report  admits :  ^^  It  is  the  object  of 
chief  interest  to  the  Christian  in  that  dark  hold  of  heathenismy 
"  To  this  Ramhrishyiapunt  has  the  opportunity  of  imparting  a 
large  amount  of  Christicm  instruction^'' 

Oh !  why  should  we  disband  such  schools  and  destroy 
such  precious  opportunities  ? 


234  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

The  testimony  of  friendlj  heatlien  to  the  value  of  these 
schools  is  worthy  of  record.  The  report  of  the  Seroor  sta- 
tion for  1852,  says : 

"  In  some  places  the  people  are  earnest  in  asking  a  teacher 
to  come  and  reside  among  them  that  they  may  learn  the 
truth  more  perfectly.  They  say  to  us  :  '  You  come  here  and 
talk  to  us  once  or  twice  a  year,  but  before  we  see  you  again, 
we  have  forgotten  all  that  you  told  us.'  " 

After  our  schools  were  broken  up  in  Ahmednuggur  and 
the  new  policy  introduced,  I  was  often  told  by  frank  and 
friendly  natives :  "  You  will  never  gain  converts  so.  You 
must  establish  schools  as  Mr.  Ballantine  used  to,  and  then 
the  chiklren  and  parents  too  will  come  into  your  religion." 

It  is  well  to  learn  even  from  our  enemies. 

First  Good  Caste  School  witli  a  Christian  Teaclier. 

So  far  as  I  am  able  to  learn  from  a  very  careful  examina- 
tion of  all  the  records  of  this  mission,  no  common  school  was 
taught  by  a  Christian  teacher  till  1848.  The  case  then  re- 
ported was  that  of  a  school  for  MaJiar  hojs  taught  by  a  con- 
vert originally  of  the  Mahar  caste.  Even  this  case  elicited 
much  joy,  as  an  indication  of  very  marked  progress.  The 
first  school  of  good-caste  boys  with  a  Christian  teacher,  ever 
reported  in  this  mission,  so  far  as  I  can  ascertain^  was  in 
1853.     This  year  the  missionaries  say  : 

"  We  have  one  boys'  school  in  this  city,  taught  by  Dnjeebn, 
a  Brahman  convert,  in  which  lieathen  children  are  collected  and 
instructed  in  secular  knowledge  and  in  the  principles  of  tlie 
word  of  God.  This  school  has  been  successful  beyond  our  ex- 
pectations, and  had  we  teachers  for  this  work,  we  should  be 
able  to  collect  other  schools  on  the  same  plan." 

But  what  was  the  "  plan"  of  this  school  ?  When  I  first 
read  the  above  paragraph  in  the  Missionary  Herald  I  thought, 
surely  here  is  evidence  of  progress.  I  inferred  that  the 
quarter  of  a  century  during  which  this  mission  had  em- 
ploj^ed  so  many  heathen  teachers,  had  witnessed  such  a  giv- 
ing way  of  heathen  prejudices,  that  novv'  at  length  good- 


UNHAPPY   RESULTS   OF   THE   CHANGE.  235 

caste  youtli  could  be  induced  to  attend  schools  in  Alimed- 
niiggur  tauglit  by  Christian  teachers.  And  when  I  went 
there  to  meet  the  Deputation,  at  the  close  of  1854,  I  paid  a 
visit  to  this  school  as  something  which  was  to  furnish  the 
most  pleasing  evidence  of  progress.  But  judge  of  my  dis- 
appointment when  I  found,  under  this  Christian  teacher. 
Dajeeba,  the  heathen  teacher  Mahadoo !  This  ^lahadoo  had 
been  employed  as  a  heathen  teacher  years  before,  but  had 
been  dismissed  from  service.  He  was  now  employed  again 
in  this  school,  to  collect  and  teach  the  pupils,  but  was  called 
a  "  monitor."  We  had  often  had  Christian  superintendents 
to  look  after  our  heathen  teachers  before.  What  real  ad- 
vance was  there  here?  It  is  sufficient  to  say  the  "plan" 
did  not  please  the  Deputation  ;  the  heathen  "  monitor"  was 
dismissed,  and  the  school  ceased  to  exist.  So  that  the  ex- 
periment of  gathering  a  good-caste  school  with  a  Christian 
teacher,  remains  to  be  tried  even  in  Ahmednuggur.  When 
w^as  dear  Br.  Ballantine  right?  When  he  wrote,  unbiased, 
"  If  Christian  teachers  should  he  employed  good-caste  pupils 
ivouldnot  attend  their  schools, ^^  and  ^^It  is  the  only  way  they  can 
obtain  an  audience,''''  (p.  101 ;)  or  when,  under  the  influence  of 
the  Deputation,  he  ignored  those  pleadings,  and  wrote:  "  It 
will  not  probably  be  found  necessary  to  make  use  of  schools 
in  order  to  collect  a  congregation"  ? 

During  these  years  of  agitation  very  few  converts  were 
gathered  into  the  Church.  In  1851  there  were  eighteen 
converts  ;  in  1852,  only  five ;  in  1853,  nine. 

After  such  a  breaking  up  of  the  most  effective  agencies 
of  the  mission,  what  wonder  that  we  find  in  the  report  of 
1853: 

"  In  Ahmednuggur  itself  it  has  been  found  difficult  the  past 
year  to  gain  much  access  to  the  heathen.  The  congregation, 
on  the  Sabbath,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  in  the  employment 
of  the  mission,  who  attend  because  they  are  required  to,  is 
chiefly  made  up  of  those  who  have  already  taken  a  stand  in 
fiivor  of  Christianity.  .  .  It  is  just  now  discouraging  to  see 
that  so  few  of  the  heathen  around  us  are  reached  by  any  of  the 
operations  now  in  progress  here." 


2-'()  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

No  doubt  this  state  of  things,  resulting  from  the  suppres- 
sion of  so  many  of  their  schools,  had  its  influence  in  leading 
the  missionaries  so  warmly  to  second,  at  this  date,  those 
earnest  appeals  for  a  high-school  in  Bombay. 

In  the  report  of  1854  we  read:  "  The  female  schools  of 
Miss  Farrar,  taught  by  heathen  teachers,  have  been  aban- 
doned." By  interdicting  these  and  the  other  good-caste 
schools  the  Deputation  completed  the  work  commenced  in 
1851,  and  almost  entirely  severed  our  connection  with  the 
higher  castes.  And  yet,  of  the  thirteen  converts  of  this  same 
year,  1854,  nine  were  pupils^  and  attested  God's  special  bless- 
ing on  the  schools.  During  these  years  of  agitation  and 
change  the  Ahmednuggur  mission  did  not  publish  its  usual 
annual  reports  in  India.  It  commenced  again  in  1855,  and 
apologizing  for  its  long  silence,  it  mentions  as  a  reason  "  the 
gradual  change  of  missionary  policy  which  had  been  going 
on  for  three  or  four  years  past."  Why  this  "  change  of 
policy"  should  have  prevented  a  report,  does  not  appear. 
In  defining  this  "change  of  policy,"  the  report  says: 

"1.  In  former  years  boarding-schools  for  boys  and  girls 
were  sustained  at  great  expense,  in  the  hope  that  many  of 
those  thus  educated  would  become  converts,  and  be  fitted  for 
the  M^ork  of  extending  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  among  their 
countrymen.  These  boarding-schools  w^ere  commenced  under 
instructions  from  home,  and  the  great  schools  of  the  American 
mission  in  Ceylon  were  held  up  to  us  as  models  after  w^hich  to 
copy.  Our  Secretaries,  however,  several  years  since,  began  to 
cliange  their  policy  in  this  respect,  and  in  1851  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  old  system  was  commenced  in  this  mission,  and 
completed  in  1854  by  the  coming  of  the  Deputation." 

In  regard  to  this  extract  it  is  worthy  of  remark : 
1.  That  tlie  missionaries  do  not  state  whether  the  hopes 
which  led  to  the  establishment  of  these  schools  were  realized 
or  not.  Their  sudden  and  entire  abandonment  would  lead 
to  the  inference  that  those  hopes  had  been  disappointed, 
whereas  the  whole  history  of  the  mission  shows  conclusively 
that  the  boarding-schools  were  our  most  effective  agency  for 
bringing  the  low  castes  to  instruction  and  conversion,  and 


rXlTATPY   RESULTS   OF   THE   CHANGE.  237 

that  in  securing  converts  from  the  higher  castes,  they  were 
second  only  to  the  schools  with  heathen  teachers. 

2.  It  is  also  worthy  of  notice  that  the  missionaries  throw 
the  responsibility  both  of  establishing  and  suppressing  these 
schools  entirel}'  upon  the  officers  in  Boston.  "  l^hey  were 
commenced  under  instructions  from  home."  "  Our  Secreta- 
ries began  to  change  their  policy." 

All  who  have  attentively  perused  the  history  of  the  mis- 
sion will  agree  that  a  very  great  change  of  policy  had  been 
effected.  And  3'et  the  Senior  Secretary  maintains  that  his 
views  are  unchanged  from  what  they  were  eighteen  years 
previous.  [See  report  of  Deputation  to  special  meeting  at 
Alban}^,  p.  9.]  Are  the  missionaries  in  error  here,  or  did 
Dr.  Anderson  effect  this  great  and  radical  change  in  the 
policy  of  our  missions  without  any  corresponding  change  of 
views  on  his  own  part? 

Again,  we  see  this  "  change  of  policy"  dates  as  far  back 
as  1851,  and  what  must  be  the  bearing  of  this  fact  on  the 
statement  which  has  been  repeatedly  made,  that  the  Deputa- 
tion had  no  fixed  views  and  theory  before  they  left  Ameri- 
ca ?  Is  it  not  evident  that  they  "  began  to  change  their  policy 
in  1851,"  as  the  Ahmednuggur  mission  affirms,  and  that 
this  change  was  only  "  completed  in  1854  by  the  coming  of 
the  Deputation"  ?  Is  it  not  evident  that  the  experience, 
judgment,  and  convictions  of  every  American  missionary 
then  in  Western  India  was  opposed  to  this  "change  of  poli- 
cy," when,  in  1853  and  1854  they  all  united  in  those  earn- 
est appeals  for  a  High-school  in  Bombay  ?  And  was  it  not 
expressly  to  resist  and  extinguish  these  deep  and  united 
convictions  of  the  whole  body  of  their  missionaries  that  the 
Deputation  went  to  India  ? 

And  how  does  this  action  accord  with  the  statement  that 
"  the  various  missions  of  the  Board  are  organized  and  self- 
governing  bodies^?  On  this  point  the  Senior  Secretary  af- 
lirms : 

"  The  missions  are  all  orcjanized  bodies^  and  they  arc  so  for 
the  purposes  of  self-government ;  and  the  administration  of 
tlieir  internal   affairs,  just  as  far  as  possible,  is  intrusted  to 


238  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

them.  Each  mission,  when  of  proper  size,  is  left  to  determine 
the  stations  of  its  members,  to  manage  its  schools^  etc.,  and  vir- 
tually to  dispose  of  all  the  funds  committed  to  it  by  the  Pru- 
dential Committee." 

And  was  not  the  whole  body  of  missionaries  in  Western 
India  sufficiently  large  to  be  a  self-governing  body,  and 
manage  their  schools  ?  Were  they  not  entirely  unanimous 
in  their  opinions  of  the  necessity  of  a  high-school  in  Bom- 

Another  change  mentioned  in  this  report  of  1855  is : 

"  2.  We  formerly  had  a  large  number  of  schools  for  boys 
and  girls,  taught  by  heathen  teachers.     We  now  have  none." 

This  change  would  authorize  the  inference  that  these 
schools  had  proved  unwise,  and  yet  in  the  same  report  we 
find  the  frank  admission  that  the  heathen  teachers  had  been 
converted  "  and  these  form  now  our  most  efficient  laborers.  Our 
native  pastors  v:ere  both  originally  hecahen  school-teachers^  and 
in  this  vmy  ivere  brought  under  the  influence  of  truth^  and  con- 
verted.''^ 

This  frank  admission  is  worthy  of  notice.  The  history 
of  the  mission  is  an  invincible  argument  in  favor  of  such 
schools. 

Ordination  of  Native  Pastors. 

The  ordination  of  Hurripunt  and  Ramkrishnapunt  as  na- 
tive pastors  had  been  deferred  some  months,  that  the  Depu- 
tation might  be  present.  It  occurred  during  their  visit,  and 
was  an  occasion  of  much  interest.  "  It  was  a  day  never  to 
be  forgotten,  especially  by  those  who  could  remember  the 
time  when  these  two  pastors  were  idolaters  like  their  coun- 
trymen, and  when,  after  many  struggles  and  much  opposi- 
tion, they  first  came  forward  and  professed  their  faith  in 
Christ." 

"  In  the  beginning  of  1839  only  one  of  the  present  mem- 
bers of  these  two  churches  was  a  Christian.  All  the  rest 
were  enveloped  in  the  darkness  of  heathenism.  At  that 
lime  the  whole  number  of  cliurch-members  in  this  mission 


CONNECTION   WITH   HIGHER   CASTES   BROKEN.  239 

was  only  eleven,  and  tbese  were  mostly  inmates  of  the  poor- 
house.  What  a  change !  Surely  this  is  the  work  of  God." 
And  may  we  not  add,  just  so  surely  are  those  schools,  in 
which  these  native  pastors  were  first  emj)loyed  as  heathen 
teachers,  and  thus  converted,  approved  of  God,  and  bear 
the  seal  of  his  own  favor  and  blessing  ? 

Connection  with  Higher  Castes  Broken. 

The  breaking  up  of  our  schools  broke  the  effective  link 
between  the  mission  and  the  higher  castes.  The  former 
pupils  of  these  schools  had  become  warmly  attached  to  us, 
and  I  have  large  files  of  letters  received  from  them  since 
they  left  us,  showing  their  appreciation  of  our  kindness,  and 
their  honest  conviction  of  the  truth ;  and  several  of  them 
have  professed  their  fiiith  in  Christ  since  the  schools  were 
abandoned.  The  influence  of  the  schools  has  thus  been  felt 
for  good  even  since  they  were  broken  up. 

In  1856  four  young  men  of  good  caste  came  out  and  re- 
ceived baptism  in  Ahmednuggur.  Their  cases  were  report- 
ed at  length.  Years  before  they  had  been  pupils  in  our 
mission  schools,  and  there  learned  the  Gospel.  Two  of  them 
had  been  in  our  mission  seminary  for  years  before  it  was 
suppressed.  One  of  them,  Sawalya,  was  long  a  boarding- 
scholar,  and  I  then  regarded  him  as  thoroughly  convinced 
of  the  truth,  and  he  seemed  on  the  point  of  professing 
Christ  before  the  world.  Another,  Cassim,  was  a  brother 
of  Daood,  who  was  baptized  in  1847.  Cassim  was  then  in 
the  seminary  too,  and  his  friends  removed  him  lest  he  also 
should  become  a  Christian.  The  two  other  converts  were 
pupils  for  years  in  our  schools  taught  by  heathen  teachers. 
At  the  time  of  their  baptism  they  were  students  in  the  gov- 
ernment school,  and  the  immediate  agency  in  bringing  them 
to  an  open  profession  of  Christ  seems  to  have  been  the  earn- 
est and  eloquent  appeals  of  Dr.  Duff,  followed  by  those  of 
Nilkunt  Shastri,  a  converted  Brahman,  though  the  origin 
of  their  convictions  and  the  foundation  of  their  Christian 
faith  is  clearly  traceable  to  our  mission  schools. 

Since  the  baptism  of  these  young  men  in  1866,  I  have 


240  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

heard  of  no  convert  from  the  higher  castes  in  that  mission, 
except  two  or  three  children  of  Christian  parents.  The 
agencies  of  the  mission  and  their  results  seem  to  have  be- 
come restricted  almost  entirely  to  the  lowest  castes. 

"Why  -were  the  Schools  abandoned? 

I  am  often  asked  the  reason  for  the  sudden  abandonment 
of  our  schools.  Wh}^  this  sudden  and  sweeping  change  of 
policy  ?  I  can  give  no  satisfactory  answer.  The  Secretary 
used  to  say  to  us  in  India :  "  The  apostles  had  no  schools, 
why  should  you  have  ?"  Some  of  our  brethren  replied : 
"  The  apostles  had  the  gift  of  miracles  ;  we  have  not."  One 
brother,  an  amiable  one,  too,  looked  up  with  much  simpli- 
cit}",  and  said  :  "  The  apostles  had  no  secretary  to  superin- 
tend their  labors,  why  should  we  have  ?" 

The  fact  of  a  change  of  policy  is  unmistakable.  For  its 
true  cause  we  must  continue  to  refer  to  the  Deputation.  In 
the  Missionary  Herald  of  1851,  p.  8,  we  read :  "  The  Maliar 
caste  still  affords  peculiar  inducements  for  all  description  of 
missionary  labor,  and  is  one  of  the  proofs  that  it  is  better  to 
direct  our  principal  efforts  toward  the  people  of  the  lower 
castes,  rather  than  the  hioher." 

Is  this  the  rock  which  caused  the  shipwreck  ?  Is  it  pos- 
sible that  the  Secretary  did  not  knoAV  that  our  boarding- 
schools  w^ere  our  most  effective  agency  in  securing  connec- 
tion and  influence  wdth  the  Mahars  even,  and  that  while  they 
constitute  less  than  a  twelfth  of  the  people,  their  influence 
does  not  extend  upward ;  that  if  we  would  aim  at  the  con- 
version of  India  we  must  have  agencies  that  will  affect  the 
middle  and  higher  castes  ? 

The  same  progress,  nay,  even  greater  progress,  might 
have  been  secured  among  the  Mahars,  and  at  the  same  time 
our  labors  been  continued  for  the  higher  castes.  Had  they 
been  continued,  and  the  blessing  of  God  rested  upon  them 
as  formerly,  the  ratio  of  good-caste  converts  would  have  in- 
creased till  the  upper  strata  of  Hindu  society  would  have 
been  affected  as  thoroughly  as  the  lower.     And  the  import- 


WHY  WEEK   TIIK   SCHOOLS   ABANJ)OXEl>?  241 

ance  of  infusing  the  leaven  of  the  Gospel  into  these  upper 
strata  can  hardly  be  over-estimated,  whether  we  consider 
their  position  and  influence  or  their  comparative  number. 
The  two  or  three  hundred  Mahar  converts  gathered  into 
the  Church  before  our  schools  were  abandoned  had  brought 
around  the  mission  a  large  number  of  their  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances, many  of  whom  have  given  up  much  of  their 
superstition  and  idolatry,  and  constitute  a  nominal  Christian 
communit3^  The  progress  already  made  among  these  Ma- 
hars  secured  us  a  hold  upon  them  which  we  hope  will  be 
permanent.  A  good  number  of  converts  are  gathered  into 
the  churches  from  them  every  year.  For  this  we  will  re- 
joice and  thank  God,  while  we  can  not  cease  to  regret  that 
the  schools,  so  greatly  blessed  of  God  for  winning  and 
saving  those  of  the  higher  castes,  have  been  so  unwisely 
abandoned. 

I  have  expended  much  labor  in  efforts  to  prepare  a  Tabu- 
lar Yiew  of  the  schools  of  this  mission,  but  in  vain.  The 
statistics  are  imperfect,  and  for  more  than  half  the  years  of 
its  existence,  none  are  given  in  its  reports.  I  find  no  account 
of  native  Christian  teachers  till  the  mission  had  been  prose- 
cuted more  than  ten  years,  and  then  only  two  or  three  con- 
verts taught  a  part  of  the  time,  and  in  the  boarding-schools. 
The  first  Christian  teacher  in  a  common  school  was  a  Mahar 
convert  in  18-i8,  and  a  school  of  good-caste  children  has 
never  been  sustained,  without  a  heathen  teacher,  so  far  as  I 
know,  even  in  this  old  mission. 

■  Imperfect  as  the  statistics  of  the  schools  are,  they  are  suffi- 
cient to  establish  the  fact  that  from  1832  to  1852—20  con- 
secutive years — this  mission  constantly  employed  an  average  of 
15  heathen  teachers.  Now,  if  the  good  brethren  who  adopted 
and  sustained  these  schools  pronounce  them  ^^a  fiiilure,'' 
what  is  their  apology  for  supporting  them  so  long?  And 
if  the  ofScers  of  the  Board  are  alone  responsible  for  these 
schools,  and  have  just  discovered  that  they  are  a  failure, 
then  may  we  not  with  propriety  ask,  how  came  they  to  be 
more  than  forty  years  making  this  discovery  ?  And  if  it 
took  forty  years  to  discover  tliis  error,  then  what  security 

li 


.■242  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

has  the  Church  that  there  is  not  an  error  of  equal  or  greater 
magnitude  still  existing  ?  If  the  fands  of  the  churches  have 
been  misapplied  for  forty  years  past,  then  what  security  that 
they  will  not  be  for  forty  years  to  come  ? 

But  such  questions  are  suggested  with  much  deference, 
while  we  cease  not  devoutly  to  thank  God  for  the  precious 
tokens  of  his  favor  and  blessing  upon  these  schools  in  all 
the  past  history  of  the  missions. 

The  history  of  the  schools  in  this  mission  must  here  close 
for  the  present.  It  is  sufiiciently  manifest  that  they  proved 
its  most  effective  agency  for  bringing  the  heathen  to  a  know- 
ledge of  Christian  truth.  The  "change  of  policy"  in  1851 
presents  cause  for  siacere  regret,  and  results  in  the  necessity 
of  changing  again.  A  gradual  return  to  the  former  policy 
of  the  mission  has  already  commenced.  Promising  children 
and  youth  are  received  into  schools  and  siijyported  hy  the 
mission^  and  a  few  are  instructed  in  English.  The  desirable- 
ness and  necessity  of  a  good  English  seminary  is  still  im- 
perative. If  such  a  school  can  be  revived,  and  bring  the 
intelligent  good-caste  young  men  of  the  city  under  daily 
Christian  instruction,  it  will  be  a  bright  day  for  the  mission, 
and  one  full  of  hope  for  the  salvation  of  those  precious 
youth.  The  memories  of  my  delightful  years  of  labor  in 
this  mission  make  all  its  interests  dear  to  vaj  heart.  God 
bless  and  prosper  it  forever. 

Tabular  View  of  the  Laborers  in  the  Ahmednuggvir  Mission, 
From  the  origin  of  the  Station  to  the  close  of  1S56,  (prepared  from  the  MS.  records  of  the 


Mission.) 

Length  of 

Joined  Mission 

Left  Mission. 

Service. 

Yrs.  ] 

Mths.  Days. 

Rev.  Allen  Graves, 

Dec.  20,  1S31. 

To  Am.  and  Bombay,  July,  1882. 

0 

6      10 

Rev.  HoUis  Read, 

i( 

Nov.  1834. 

2 

10      10 

Rev.  William  Hervey, 

<i 

Died,  May  13, 1832. 

0 

4      23 

Rev.  G.  W.  Boggs, 

Dec.  29,  1832. 

To  Am.,  Oct.  2,  1838. 

5 

9        3 

Rev.  D.  0.  Allen, 

Jan.  1834. 

To  Bombay,  Nov.  18,  1836. 

1 

10      18 

Rev.  Henry  Ballantine,* 

Oct.  20,  1S36. 

16 

0      20 

Rev.  Eben  Burgess,t 

Oct.  21, 1839. 

To  Satara,  Nov.  21, 1851. 

10 

0        0 

Rev.  Ozro  French, 

Oct.  24,  1839. 

To  Am.,  Jan.  1849. 

9 

2        6 

*  Absent  in  America  3  vears  and  20  days.  t  Absent  in  America  about  2  vears. 


TABULAR  VIEW  OF  THE  LABORERS,  ETC. 


243 


Rev.  S.  B.  Munger  * 
Rev.  R^G.  Wilder, 
Rev.  S.  B.  Fail-bank, 
Rev.  Allen  Hazen, 
Rev.  Lemuel  Bissell, 
Rev.  W.  Barker, 

14. 


Mr.  Amos  Abbott, 


Joined  IMission. 

Feb.  1S37. 
Oct.  2T,  1846. 

it 

March  30,  1S4T. 
Aug.  27, 1851. 
Jan.  9,  1854. 


Left  Mission. 

To  Satara,  Feb.  1855. 
To  Kolapoor,  Nov.  IT,  1852. 
To  Bombay,  Nov.  1849. 
To         "        Jan.  1855. 


A ss istan t  Mission ary. 
Oct.  1S34.  To  Am.,  Dec.  1846. 


Length  of 

Service. 

rrs. 

Mths.  Dv«. 

11 

6        0 

6 

0      20 

3 

0        0 

7 

9        0 

5 

8        3 

2 

10      21 

S3 


12 


14 


Mrs.  Mary  Graves, 
Mrs.  Caroline  Read, 
Mrs.  G.  ^Y.  Boggs, 
Mrs.  A.  Abbott, 
Mrs.  E.  Ballantine,t 
Mrs.  M.  Burgess, 
Mrs.  A.  Burgess, 
Mrs.  J.  French, 
Miss  0.  Farrar, 
Mrs.  Mary  INIunger, 
Mrs.  E.  J.  Wilder, 
Mrs.  Abby  Fairbank, 
Mrs.  M.  Hazen, 
Mrs.  Bissell, 
Mrs.  Barker, 

15. 


Female  Assistant  Missionaries. 

Dec.  20,  1881.      To  Bombay,  July  1832. 
To  Am.,  Nov.  1834. 

Dec.  29, 1832.              "     Oct.  2,  18:38. 
,Oct.  1834.                    "     Dec.  1846. 
*Oct.  20,  1S36 

Oct.  21,  1S39.       Died,  June  24,  1842. 

March  30,  1S4T.   To  Satara,  Nov.  21,  1851. 

Oct.  24,  1830.       To  Am.,  Jan.  1849. 

Oct;l9,  1S;39 

Dec.  1854.  To  Satara,  Feb.  1855. 

Oct.  27,  1846.       To  Kolapoor,  Nov.  17, 1853. 
"  To  Bombay,  Nov.  1849. 

March  30,  1847.  "  Jan.  1855. 

Aug.  27,  1851 

Jan.  9,  1S54.         


0 

6 

10 

2 

10 

10 

5 

9 

3 

12 

2 

0 

16 

0 

20 

2 

8 

3 

4 

7 

21 

9 

2 

6 

16 

1 

11 

0 

2 

0 

6 

0 

20 

3 

0 

0 

7 

9 

0 

5 

8 

3 

2 

10 

21 

95 


From  the  foregoing  table  it  appears  tliat  of  the  14  mis- 
sionaries, 


^  Died  in  Serv.      Ret.  to  Amer.      Transferred.      Remained  in  1856. 

18  7  3 

Of  the  15  fern,  assist,  miss.  14  6  4 


The  assistant  missionary  had  also  returned  to  America. 


Yrs.  Mths.   Dyg. 
Tlie  average  period  of  service  of  the  missionaries,       83        1        14 


Ditto        of  female  assist. 


14 
95        1        IS 


15 


Yrs.   Mths.   Dys. 
5        11        7 


__  g 


*  Absent  in  America  twice,  about  6}  years.         t  Absent  in  America,  8  years  and  20  days. 


21-i  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

Compare  this  table  with  that  of  the  Bombay  mission, 
p.  155,  and  it  is  easy  to  ascertain  the  ivhole  length  of  service 
of  any  one  missionary  or  assistant  missionary.    For  instance : 

Yrs.   Mths.    Dys. 

Rev.  Allen  Graves  was  in  the  Bombay  mission, 21        3        16 

in  Ahmednuggur,  (see  Table,) 0        6        10 

This  sliows  his  whole  period  of  service  to  be, 21        9        26 

And  so  of  all,  though  in  case  of  two  or  three,  the  tables  for 
Satara  and  Kolapoor  missions  also  will  need  to  be  consulted. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SCHOOLS  OF  THE   SATARA  AND   KOLAPOOR  MISSIONS. 

S  A  T  A  R  A. 

The  origin  of  this  mission  dates  from  December  2,  1851, 
thougli  it  had  been  a  station  of  the  Bombay  mission  from 
June  1,  1849,  and  it  had  been  repeatedly  occupied  before, 
for  short  periods,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graves. 

"  The  position  of  the  place  is  singularly  beautiful.  It 
stands  about  a  mile  from  the  bank  of  the  Vena,  where  that 
stream  emerges  from  its  narrow  mountain  valley,  into  the 
more  open  vale  of  the  Krishna,  with  which  it  forms  a  junc- 
tion below  the  city.  Round  the  borders  of  the  two  rivers 
rises  an  amphitheatre  of  hills,  some  of  considerable  eleva- 
tion. .  .  The  city  of  Satara  contains  a  population  of 
32,000." 

Schools  secure  Ready  Access  to  the  People. 

Three  weeks  after  commencing  the  station,  Mr.  Wood  re- 
ports :  "  I  have  opened  a  vernacular  school  for  boys  in  the 
bazaar."  He  soon  adds  :  "  The  school  continues  in  success- 
ful operation.  One  hundred  or  more  are  in  regular  attend- 
ance, and  as  many  as  that  meet  in  Sabbath- school  every 
Sabbath  morning.  I  have  lately  taken  another  school  of 
boys  of  100  or  more,  under  my  care."  Thus  here,  as  in 
the  other  missions,  the  schools  proved  the  most  ready  and 
effective  means  of  access  and  influence  with  the  people. 

In  1851,  we  find  in  the  Herald,  "  The  new  station  at  Sa- 
tara promises  to  be  one  of  much  importance."     But  it  suf- 


246  MISSION   SCHOOL.*^. 

fered  a  severe  loss,  August  27,  in  tbe  deatli  of  dear  Mrs. 
Wood,  wliose  zealous  and  useful  labors  for  tlie  girls  and 
women  were  thus  early  terminated. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burgess,  from  Ahmednuggur,  joined  this 
station,  December  2,  and  from  that  date  it  became  a  separate 
mission. 

Mahabulesbwur,  formerly  a  station  of  the  Bombay  mis- 
sion, was  now  transferred  to  Satara. 

In  1852,  a  third  school  for  boys  and  two  for  girls,  were 
in  operation,  and  we  find  "  the  teachers  were  heathen  Brah- 
mans."  ^'Mrs.  Grraves  has  still  an  interestino*  school  of 
about  25  pupils,  five  or  six  of  whom  give  evidence  of  being 
Christians."  "  The  schools  both  for  boys  and  girls  are 
quite  promising." 

One  convert,  Krishnarao,  was  this  year  baptized  and  re- 
ceived into  the  Church.  The  Report  of  the  Board  speaks 
of  him  as  "  a  young  man  of  the  Brahman  caste,  of  pretty 
good  English  education.  As  he  had  an  extensive  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances,  the  influence  of  his  profession  of 
Christianity  was  extensively  felt,  and  he  gave  promise  of 
being  a  very  useful  helper  in  the  mission.  But  in  May  last 
the  desire  of  a  higher  education  led  him  to  join  the  school 
of  the  Scotch  Free  Church  mission  at  Bombay. 

The  baptism  of  Krishnarao  was  the  signal  of  alarm  to  the 
high-caste  pupils  in  the  schools,  and  many  of  them  left,  but 
after  a  few  weeks  most  of  them  came  back  again. 

In  1853,  the  death  of  dear  Mrs.  Burgess  brought  another 
heavy  affliction  upon  this  mission  and  weakened  its  working 
force.     Her  life  was  useful  and  her  death  ha])i[)j. 

Keligious  Interest  in  the  Schools. 

Of  the  success  of  their  labors  the  missionaries  write : 
"Four  or  five  of  the  pupils,  together  with  the  teacher, 
give  evidence  of  being  much  interested  in  the  truth  of. 
Christianity."  "  Mrs.  Graves  has  continued  her  school  at 
M.,  a  part  of  the  year,  as  her  health  would  permit.  The 
number  of  her  pupils  is  from  20  to  25.  This  school  at- 
tracts  considerable  attention   from   English  residents  who 


THE   SCHOOLS  DISBANDED.  2~47 

resort  to  the  Hills  during  the  hot  season ;  and  liberal  sub- 
scriptions are  made  by  them  for  its  support." 

Mr.  Wood,  having  spent  a  ^abbath  at  Mahabuleshwur, 
and  being  delighted  to  see  some  30  girls  present  at  his  reli- 
gious services,  writes :  "  Thej  were  from  Mrs.  Graves'  school, 
having  received  instruction  at  her  hands  for  years.  .  .  . 
Mrs.  Graves  thinks  that  some  of  them  give  evidence  of 
being  born  again." 

Of  his  schools  in  Satara,  Mr.  Wood  writes :  ^'  Three  of 
1  he  larger  boys  in  one  of-  our  schools,  came  to  Mr.  Burgess 
a  few  days  ago,  desiring  him  to  converse  and  pray  with 
them.  They  said  they  were  convinced  of  the  truth  and 
claims  of  Christianity,  and  that  they  believed  in  Christ,  as 
their  only  Saviour  and  Kedeemer.  Having  been  in  the 
school  from  the  first,  they  have  obtained  a  pretty  good 
knowledge  of  Christian  truth." 

A  few  months  later,  Mr.  W.  writes  again:  "  Many  of  the 
older  boys  appear  to  be  fully  convinced  of  the  folly  and  sin- 
fulness of  idolatry ;  and  we  are  not  without  evidence  that 
the  truth  is  finding  its  way  to  their  hearts."  Speaking  of  a 
precious  interview  with  some  of  them,  he  says :  "  They 
avowed  their  belief  in  Christ,  and  desired  to  be  baptized 
and  confess  him  before  the  world.  We  do  not  think  they 
ai"e  prepared  for  such  a  step,  but  we  hope  they  will  be  here- 
after. We  have  evidence,  moreover,  that  loe  preach  to  the 
'parents  of  the  children^  and  to  others  through  tJiese  schools. 
The  books  are  read  at  home ;  and  some  of  the  boys  are 
known  to  engage  in  discussions,  setting  forth  the  folly  and 
sinfulness  of  idolatry." 

The  Schools  Disbanded. 

1854. — These  interesting  schools  continued  to  prosper  till ' 
near  the  close  of  1854,  when  they  were  all  disbanded  by 
order  of  the  Deputation.  The  Keport  of  the  Board  says : 
"  It  has  been  thought  best  to  give  less  attention  to  educa- 
tion, and  more  to  the  direct  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and 
the  schools  were  all  closed  at  the  end  of  the  year." 


248  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Soon  after  tbis  event  we  do  not  wonder  that  the  mission- 
ary at  Satara  speaks  of  "  finding  no  regular  congregation." 
He  felt  the  want  of  one  much,  and  as  he  was  one  of  the 
brethren  who  had  yielded  their  views  to  the  Deputation, 
and  joined  in  abolishing  the  schools,  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that  he  exerted  himself  faithfully  to  secure  an  audience 
without  schools;  and  some  minds  will  be  interested  in 
knowing  to  what  appliance,  in  this  emergency,  he  resorted. 
It  was  simply  this.  He  carried  w^ith  him  to  his  chapel,  a 
bag  of  copper  coin,  and  after  sermon  distributed  it  to  his 
hearers.  This  drew  an  audience  of  forty  or  fifty  paupers, 
instead  of  the  intelligent  and  interesting  audience  of  good- 
caste  young  men  which  had  before  been  gathered,  both  on 
Sabbath  and  week-days,  by  means  of  the  schools. 

I  need  not  express  my  regret  at  the  loss  of  those  valuable 
schools.  Had  their  number  been  increased  and  a  good  Eng- 
lish school  been  established,  the  prospects  of  the  mission 
would  have  been  full  of  hope.  Precious  youth  there  might 
have  been  won  to  Christ.  But  since  those  schools  were 
abandoned,  what  young  men  have  come  to  the  missionaries 
to  tell  their  convictions  and  ask  for  praj- ers  ? 

I  have  repeatedly  visited  Satara,  and  have  had  the  plea- 
sure of  preaching  Christ  in  her  streets,  her  temple -courts, 
and  the  mission  chapel.  If  there  was  any  thing  hopeful 
and  animating  in  the  mission,  it  w^as  the  bright  intelligent 
faces  and  fixed  attention  of  those  Hindu  youth  in  the  Sab- 
bath audience,  gathered  in  from  the  schools.  If  there  was 
any  promise  of  future  success,  it  centered  mainly  in  those 
schools.  Their  suppression  with  a  view  "  to  give  less  atten- 
tion to  education  and  more  to  the  direct  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,"  resulted  in  banishing  those  interesting  children 
and  youth  from  the  Sabbath  audience,  and  reducing  it  to  a 
band  of  paupers  and  a  few  servants  and  dependents  of  the 
mission.  In  saying  this,  I  speak  only  of  what  I  have  seen. 
I  have  ridden  to  the  chapel  with  the  good  brother  (M.)  and 
his  bag  of  money,  and  seen  him  distribute  it  after  sermon. 
I  witnessed  the  result  of  disbanding  those  schools,  with 
much  sorrow,  iind  look  forward  in  hope  to  their  future  re- 


THE  SCHOOLS  DISBANDED.  240 

vival  as  the  most  effectual  means  of  securing  the  success  of 
the  mission. 

In  1856,  the  Report  of  the  Board  says  of  this  mission : 
"  Two  persons  of  the  Mahar  caste  have  been  received  into 
Christian  fellowship.  The  present  number  of  communi- 
cants is  supposed  to  be  six.  ISTone  of  them,  however,  can 
be  considered  as  strictly  belonging  to  the  people  of  Satara. 
'No  inroad  in  the  way  of  conversions,'  Mr.  Hunger  says, 
*  has  yet  been  made  upon  the  ranks  of  the  Prince  of  dark- 
ness, in  this  benighted  city.'  "  These  two  Mahar  converts 
had  been  educated  in  mission  schools,  and  baptized  in  in- 
fancy. The  other  converts  in  this  mission  had  been  trans- 
ferred from  Ahmednuggur. 

The  following  significant  statement  in  the  Missionary 
Herald  of  1859,  is  from  the  pen  of  the  same  brother  who, 
without  his  schools,  felt  driven  to  collect  a  Sabbath  audience 
with  the  use  of  money.  He  writes:  "My  audiences  are 
less  numerous,  and  fewer  of  the  educated  part  of  the  people 
attend.  The  consequence  is,  that  there  is  less  discussion 
and  less  opportunity  of  the  kind  which  discussion  furnishes, 
to  bring  distinctly  into  view  facts  which  stand  opposed  to 

the  objections  in  the  minds  of  the  people The 

conviction  has  gained  strength  by  all  our  experience  in 
Satara  and  in  India,  that  the  devil  cometh  and  taketh  away 
the  word  out  of  their  hearts,  lest  they  should  believe,  and 
be  saved.  .  .  We  have  need  of  patience,  much  patience. 
The  truth  does  not  readilj^  find  a  way  into  these  Hindu 
minds." 

Such,  doubtless,  is.  the  conviction  of  every  missionary  of 
much  experience  in  India ;  and  hence  the  imperative  neces- 
sity of  schools  to  gather  and  hold  the  people  under  stated 
Christian  instruction  till  the  focus  of  God's  truth  can  be 
brought  to  bear  on  their  minds  and  hearts. 

11* 


250 


MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


Tabular  View  of  the  Schools  in  the  Satara  Mission. 


Year. 

Boys. 

Schools. 

Pupils. 

Schools. 

Girls. 

Pupils. 

18-19, 
1850, 
1851, 

...1 

.,.1 

2 

100 

100 

. .    .      200 

s 

60 

1852 

...3 

..   2 

220 

120 

3 

65 

1853,. 

2 

55 

1854 

.  Abando 

u 

,  ^   2 

ned 

120 

3 

75 

1855, 

185(3, 

No  Christian  teachers  were  employed  in  these  schools. 


Tabular  View  of  Missionaries  at  Satara  from  the  Origin  of  the  Station 
June  1st,  1849,  to  the  close  of  1858. 


Rev.  William  Wood,* 
Rev.  E.  Burgess, 
Rev.  S.  B.  Munger, 


Missionaries. 

Length  of 
Joined  the  Mission.  Service. 

Yrs.  MtiLS,  Dys. 
June  1,1849.        Returned  to  Amer.,  Nov.  1854.        5       5       0 
Dec.  2,1851.  "  Nov.  5,  1853.    1      11        3 

Feb.  1855.  '  1      II        0 


Female  Assistant  Missionaries. 


Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 

Mrs. 

Lucy  Wood, 
Abigail  Burgess, 
Mary  Munger, 
Mary  Graves, 

Average 

Joined  the  IN 

June  1,  1849. 
Dec.  2,  1851. 
Feb.  1855. 
Dec.  2,  1851. 

years  of  service 

lission. 

Died  Aug.  2T,  1851. 
Died  April  26,  1853. 
Died  June  3,  1856. 
t 

by  each  missionary, 

Yrs. 
2 
1 
1 

5 

Length  of 
Service. 

Mths.  Dys. 
2      26 
4      24 
4        0 
0      29 

4 

10 
3 

0  19 

1  1 

female  assistant 

2 

6        4 

*  Rev.  Mr.  Wood  returned  to  Satara  early  in  1857,  and  resumed  his  labors, 
t  Blanks  in  this  column  show  that  the  person  remained  in  the  missions  after  the  close  of 
1856— the  limit  of  these  statistics. 


KOLAPOOK   MISSION.  251 


KOLAPOOR    MISSION. 


Kolapoor  is  an  "independent  native  kingdom,"  beyond 
the  limits  of  Britisli  rule.  It  has  a  population  of  550,000, 
among  whom  no  mission  had  existed  previous  to  1852. 
"  Rarely,  indeed,  had  missionaries  entered  the  kingdom  on 
their  hurried  tours,  and  the  great  mass  of  the  people  was 
entirely  unacquainted  with  the  Gospel." 

It  was  my  privilege  to  commence  this  mission  December 
4,  1852.  At  no  wish  of  my  own,  the  Prudential  Committee 
of  the  A.B.C.F.M.  detached  me  from  my  pleasant  and  en- 
grossing duties  at  Ahmednuggur,  and  sent  me  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  a  new  mission  in  this  dark  region  of  unbroken 
Hinduism.  I  found  it  a  difficult  enterprise,  involving  severe 
labor  and  some  special  exposure  and  hardship. 

Kolapoor,  the  capital  of  the  kingdom,  has  a  population 
of  44,000  inhabitants,  and  a  high  reputation  for  sanctity. 
There  is  a  tradition  among  the  people  that  the  gods  once  as- 
sembled in  grave  council  to  decide  which  was  the  holiest 
place  of  all  the  earth — that  the  claims  of  Kolapoor  and  Be- 
nares were  found  to  outweigh  all  others,  and  that  on  putting 
these  two  cities  in  the  opposite  scales  of  the  balance,  Kola- 
poor exceeded  Benares  in  holiness  by  just  one  grain  !  "  It 
could  not  be  expected  that  a  missionary  would  be  welcomed 
among  such  a  people.  On  our  first  arrival  they  sent  a  pe- 
tition to  their  king,  praying  him  to  banish  us  fi'om  his 
kingdom,  and  for  some  weeks  all  the  respectable  inhabitants 
kept  themselves  entirely  aloof  from  us." 

As  seen  from  a  distance  the  city  is  "beautiful  for  situa- 
ation."  The  most  commanding  object,  next  to  the  king's 
palace,  (see  frontispiece,)  is  the  white  dome  and  towering 
spire  of  the  temple  of  Ambabae.  But  this  is  only  one  among 
two  hundred  and  fifty-two  temples  in  this  stronghold  of 
heathenism.  The  city  is  full  of  them,  and  like  Athens  of 
old,  "  is  wholly  given  to  idolatry." 


252  MISSION   SCHOOLS." 


Opposition  overcome  by  Schools. 


Earnest  and  persevering  efforts  were  made  to  obtain  regu- 
lar and  stated  audiences  in  tliis  mission  without  schools,  but 
in  vain.  Indeed,  the  first  attempts  to  establish  schools  en- 
countered resolute  opposition.  The  Brabmans  of  Nassik 
and  other  places  hastened  to  apprize  their  caste-mates  at 
Kolapoor  of  the  many  evils  they  had  suffered  from  the 
schools  of  the  missionaries,  and  warned  them  to  be  on  their 
guard  against  us.  It  was  some  months  before  we  succeeded 
in  commencing  a  school,  and  then  began  with  only  two  little 
boys.  Both  they  and  their  parents  consented  to  their  coming 
with  much  hesitation,  fearing  the  priests  would  execute  their 
threats,  and  put  them  all  out  of  caste.  It  was  painfully 
amusing  at  first  to  observe  the  timid,  anxious  looks  of  parents 
and  friends  as  they  came  near  enough  to  peer  in  at  the  door 
of  the  school-room,  to  see  what  we  were  doing  to  those  two 
little  boys.  But  observing  our  kind  manner,  and  finding 
that  neither  they  nor  the  boys  received  any  harm,  they  gained 
courage,  their  prejudices  and  fears  rapidly  gave  way,  other 
pupils  came,  and  our  first  year  closed  with  two  hundred  and 
five  boys  and  twenty  little  girls  under  our  Christian  teaching. 

Those  who  would  rightly  estimate  the  value  of  these 
schools,  should  know  that  a  short  time  before  we  commenced 
the  mission  there  was  not  a  respectable  girl  or  woman  in  the 
whole  kingdom  who  knew  how  to  read,  and  only  four  hun- 
dred boys  receiving  any  education,  even  in  their  indigenous 
schools.  They  should  know,  too,  not  only  that  the  prime 
elements  of  Christian  truth  were  a  part  of  the  daily  lessons 
of  these  children  and  youth,  but  that  the  pupils  formed  a 
nucleus  around  which  gathered  parents  and  neighbors,  thus 
furnishing  an  interested  and  delightful  audience  for  my 
preaching  services. 

The  attempt  of  Mrs.  Wilder  to  bring  the  litt-le  girls  and 
their  mothers  under  her  influence  and  teaching  was  attended 
with  peculiar  difiiculties  ;  but  persevering  efforts  triumphed 
over  them.  The  hundred  and  twenty  girls  brought  under 
her  teaching  in  a  few  years  marked  progress  which  glad- 


TEMPLES   AND   SACRIFICES.  253 

dened  our  hearts,  and  not  only  ours,  but  the  hearts  of  all 
who  knew  the  facts  and  felt  any  sympathy  in  our  work. 
These  schools  were  of  special  value  in  conciliating  the  favor 
of  the  higher  castes,  and  changing  public  sentiment  towards 
us.  In  the  course  of  two  years,  the  very  men  who  signed 
the  petition  praying  for  our  banishment,  were  frequently 
coming  to  our  house,  schools,  and  preaching-places,  and 
seeking  opportunities  for  acquaintance  and  conversation  ; 
and  when  I  wanted  land,  the  king,  of  his  own  accord,  pro- 
posed to  give  me  all  I  desired.  Speaking  of  this  friendly 
disposition  of  the  native  Government,  the  Political  Super- 
intendent, Colonel  Malcolm,  wrote :  "  The  Durbar  would 
cheerfully  give  you  twice  as  much  ground  as  you  ask  for." 

LETTER    FROM    MRS.    WILDER.* 

The  City  of  Kolapoor. 

(See  Frontispiece.) 

•*  To  THE  Readers  of  the  Dayspkixg  : 

"  I  have  long  had  in  mind  to  tell  you  something  about  Kola- 
poor,  which  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  cities  of  the  Southern 
Marathi  country.  It  has  44,000  inhabitants,  and  occupies  a 
circumference  of  four  and  a  half  miles,  on  the  southern  bank 
of  the  river  Punchagunga.  The  Hindus  regard  it  as  a  very 
sacred  city.  In  their  books  it  is  spoken  of  as  the  '  Benares  of 
the  South,'  because  it  has  so  many  sacred  shrines.  It  contains 
more  than  two  hundred  temples.  At  a  little  distance,  as  I  now 
see  them  from  my  window,  their  white  domes  and  minarets, 
among  the  tall  old  trees,  make  a  fine  appearance.  But  could 
you  come  and  walk  with  me  through  tbe  winding  streets  of  tliis 
city,  you  would  see  much  to  make  your  hearts  sad. 

"Temples  and  Sacrifices. 

"Crossing  the  river,  w^e  see  people  descending  the  banks, 
thinking  to  wash  away  their  sins  in  the  sacred  stream.  Passing 
on,  you  hear  the  sound  of  "drums  and  tomtoms,  and  soon  meet 
a  crowd  going  with  their  offerings  to  some  heathen  temple. 
Among  them  are  priests  with  hideous  faces  covered  with  aslies. 

*  Dai/springy  June,  18B7. 


25,4  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

At  the  turns  of  the  most  pleasant  streets,  and  nnder  the  shade 
of  the  tallest  trees,  you  see  temples  where  men,  Avomen,  and 
children  meet  to  worship  some  senseless  little  idol.  Crossing  a 
broad  street,  skirted  with  trees  on  each  side,  we  soon  reach  the 
great  temble  Ambabae,  which  is  the  largest  and  most  frequented 
temple  in  this  j^art  of  India.  It  is  very  costly  and  beautiful ; 
the  cut  and  carved  work  being  most  tastefully  executed.  We 
are  not  permitted  to  enter  it,  but  standing  at  the  door,  we  can 
see  the  deluded  people  falling  upon  their  faces  before  the  idol. 
This  temple  is  visited  by  people  from  distant  parts  of  India,  who 
make  large  contributions  to  it.  In  former  years  its  annual  reve- 
nues amounted  to  30,000  dollars. 

"  You  know,  dear  children,  the  Hindus  do  not  spare  expense 
or  trouble  in  doing  honor  to  their  false  gods.  See  that  little 
ill-shaped  image !  Would  you  think  it  possible  that  any  one 
can  be  so  foolish  as  to  call  it  a  god  and  worship  it  ?  Yet  every 
year  it  is  borne  through  the  city  on  a  triumphal  car,  and  fol- 
lowed by  immense  crowds  of  people.  A  few  days  ago  it  was 
place  in  a  palanquin  and  carried  in  procession  past  our  house  to 
the  temples  of  Temblaee,  where  upwards  of  15,000  people  met 
to  worship  it.  Foremost  was  the  king  and  his  retinue,  on 
elephants,  camels,  and  fine  horses,  moving  on  in  slow  procession 
to  worship  that  senseless  little  idcrl.  On  these  occasions,  a 
young  buffalo  is  slain  and  offered  in  sacrifice  to  the  goddess. 
Thus,  you  see,  they  worship  these  idol  gods  instead  of  the  dear 
Saviour  who  died  for  them.  These  sights  make  our  hearts  sad, 
and  we  know  that  God  is  grieved  as  he  looks  down  from  hea- 
ven upon  them.  But  he  loves  the  people  still,  and  commands 
us  to  make  known  to  them  Christ  and  the  true  way  to  be  saved. 

"The   Mission   School. 

"  You  will  be  glad  to  come  with  me  to  a  brighter  scene. 
What  pretty  building  is  this  on  the  main  street,  with  little 
trees  rising  in  front  of  it  ?  Rejoice  with  me,  dear  children, 
that  in  this  dark,  heathen  city,  there  is  one  bright  spot,  one 
sacred  temple,  appropriated  to  the-  service  of  the  true  God. 
Ascending  a  few  steps,  we  enter  a  large  and  pleasant  room. 
It  is  well  filled.  Among  those  present  are  some  two  hundred 
boys ;  and  at  one  side,  ranged  along  near  the  pulpit,  are  fifty 
or  sixty  little  girls,  and  a  small  group  of  women.    On  the  otiier 


LADIES  OF  THE   PALACE.  555 

side,  and  in  front,  are  many  older  people.  The  children  rise  and 
sing  a  hymn,  and  remain  standing  while  the  missionnry  asks 
them  many  questions  from  the  Bible  and  catechism.  You  can 
not  understand  their  language,  but  you  will  be  pleased  with 
their  happy  looks  and  tone,  as  they  answer  the  questions 
so  fluently.  Their  lessons  are  the  same  that  you  are  accus- 
tomed to  recite  in  your  own  loved  Sabbath-schools  in  America. 
Some  of  them  have  learned  two  or  three  catechisms,  and  a 
great  deal  of  Bible  truth.  Will  you  not  pray  that  it  may  affect 
their  hearts,  and  that  they  may  be  prepared  to  meet  you  in 
heaven  ?  It  is  pleasant  to  see  how  attentively  they  listen  as 
the  missionary  entreats  them  no  longer  to  worship  their  idols, 
but  to  believe  on  Christ  as  the  only  one  able  to  take  away  their 
sins.  Their  interested  countenances  show  that  they  understand 
his  words.  Sometimes  the  men  give  an  audible  assent  to  the 
truth  of  what  he  says.  Two  of  our  school  teachers,  of  the  Brah- 
man caste,  seem  quite  convinced  of  the  truth,  and  resolved  to 
give  up  all  for  Christ.    We  hope  they  will  soon  be  baptized. 

•'Ladies  of  the  Palace. 

"  When  we  came  to  Kolapoor,  a  few  years  ago,  it  was  found 
difficult  to  persuade  parents  to  send  their  children,  especially 
their  girls,  to  our  schools.  They  even  tried  to  prevent  our 
having  a  mission  here.  But  these  schools  have  secured  us 
much  favor  with  the  people.  The  king's  sister,  hearing  of  the 
j^rogress  of  our  scholars,  sent  her  two  little  adopted  daughters, 
and  also  a  nephew  of  the  king,  to  attend  our  schools.  She  one 
day  sent  to  one  of  our  schoolmasters  to  borrow  a  Testament  to 
read.  Not  long  after  I  paid  her  a  visit,  and  gave  her  a  Testa- 
ment. She  seemed  quite  taken  with  the  story  of  the  '  prodigal 
sou,'  (Luke  loth,)  which  I  read  to  her,  and  expressed  her  sur- 
pi'ise  at  the  great  love  and  compassion  of  the  father,  in  receiv- 
ing and  forgiving  so  wicked  a  son.  I  have  recently  been  to 
the  palace  several  times  to  see  her  and  the  queen.  They 
always  receive  me  very  kindly.  I  was  pleased  to  see  that 
some  of  our  Christian  books  had  found  their  way  into  the  pal- 
ace, and  were  in  the  hands  of  several  of  the  cliildren  there. 
Among  the  ladies  of  the  palace,  the  king's  sister  is  the  most 
intelligent,  and  has  quite  a  noble  bearing.  She  is  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  the  great  Shivajee  who  founded  the  Marathi  em- 
pire.    Her  gre.'it-ornndmotho;-  wns  a  most  cruel  woman. 


256  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


"  Human  Sacrifices. 


"In  front  of  our  house,  a  few  miles  distant,  is  a  hill-fort  which 
used  to  be  the  stronghold  of  native  princes,  and  where  this 
cruel  old  queen  used  to  offer  human  sacrifices  to  please  the 
goddess  Karle.  When  I  was  there,  a  short  time  ago,  the  very 
spot  was  pointed  out  to  me  where  the  poor  victims  used  to  be 
sacrificed.  It  is  within  a  pretty  inclosure  on  the  summit  of  the 
hill,  under  the  dense  foliage  of  beautiful  trees  that  surround 
several  old  buildings,  where  kings  used  to  keep  their  treasures. 
It  was  her  custom  to  send  men  down  in  the  night  to  search  for 
victims,  and  the  poor  villagers  were  kept  in  constant  terror. 
When  we  think  of  her  cruel  character,  and  now  see  this  young 
princess  reading  the  New  Testament,  and  sending  her  children 
to  the  mission  schools,  have  we  not  reason  to  thank  God,  and 
hope  that  a  still  greater  change  and  choicer  blessings  are  in 
store  for  this  idolatrous  city  ? 

"  Your  afl:ectionate  friend, 

"E.  J.  W." 

Christian  Teaching  in  the  Schools. 

The  schoors  of  this  mission  were  all  vernacular  free  schools. 
We  taught  no  English  in  any  of  them.  Their  character  may- 
be inferred  by  the  following  extract  from  the  report  of  the 
mission : 

"  All  past  experience  combines  to  make  us  retain  a  high  es- 
timate of  these  schools.  As  a  connecting  link  with  the  people, 
a  means  of  securing  kind  feeling  and  friendly  relations,  of  com- 
municating most  understandingly  and  effectively  the  largest 
amount  of  Christian  truth  both  to  the  pupils  and  their  parents, 
as  also  of  securing  large  and  intelligent  audiences  for  preaching- 
services,  such  as  can  be  obtained  here  in  no  other  way,  these 
schools  still  seem  to  us,  not  only  extremely  desirable,  but  quite 
indispensable  in  a  new  mission. 

"  AVhile  a  thorough  course  of  secular  studies  is  prosecuted 
in  these  schools,  our  primary  and  controlling  object  is  to  com- 
municate a  full  and  correct  knowledge  of  the  Christian  Scrip- 
tures. This  object  we  are  happy  to  know,  is  secured  to  a  very 
good  extent.  The  Scripture  lessons  being  made  most  prominent 
in  the  frequent  visits  and  examinations  by  the  missionarv,  the 


GOriND  APA  CHOWHAX.  257 

teachers  find  pu})Il8  soon  come  to  regard  llieni  as  the  most  im- 
portant, and  a  faiUire  is  less  frequent  in  these  than  in  any  other 
lessons. 

"  Thus  a  large  amount  of  knowledge  and  an  intelligent  un- 
derstanding of  Scripture  truth  is  secured ;  and  as  '  God's 
word  shall  not  return  imto  h'un  void,'  so  surely  shall  not  this 
divine  seed,  sown  in  youthful  minds,  fail  of  a  permanent  influ- 
ence on  their  future  lives  and  characters." 

Converts  and  Inquirers. 

As  soon  as  our  schools  had  won  upon  the  feelings  of  the 
people  so  far  as  to  bring  them  under  Christian  instruction, 
it  was  easy  to  mark  the  influence  of  truth  on  their  minds. 
Within  the  first  twelve  months  five  serious  inquirers  avowed 
their  convictions  and  asked  for  baptism. 

Govind  Apa  Chowhan. 

The  first  of  these  inquirers  w^as  Govind  Apa  Chowhan. 
The  first  time  I  ever  saw  him  was  in  one  of  my  schools, 
then  recently  established.  He  had  heard  of  this  school, 
then  exciting  interest  and  conversation  among  the  thou- 
sands of  Kolapoor  and  the  surrounding  villages,  and 
though  too  old  to  take  the  place  of  a  regular  pupil,  being 
a  man  of  some  forty  years,  yet  day  after  day  and  week 
after  week,  whenever  I  visited  the  school,  I  found  him 
there,  eager  for  knowledge.  He  purchased  books  of  sci- 
ence and  portions  of  Scripture,  and  studied  them  diligent- 
ly. His  convictions  deepened,  and  he  was  subsequently 
baptized  and  received  to  church  fellowshijD.  The  mission 
report  gives  the  following  account  of  him : 

"  Govind  was  born  of  respectable  parentage,  being  a  dis- 
tant relative  of  the  king.  Several  of  his  relatives  still  rank 
among  the  nobility,  and  hold  their  enams,  or  landed  estates, 
in  virtue  of  their  rank  and  past  services  to  the  government. 
Govind's  branch  of  the  family  became  impoverished  by  a 
train  of  reverses,  and  in  his  youth  and  early  manhood  he 
obtained  a  meagre  support  by  teaching  school,  but  was  glad 
to  change  this  profession  for  that  of  a  sugar-merchant. 


258  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

''  At  one  time  lie  became  connected  witli  a  band  of  evil- 
doers, whose  occupation  was  to  obtain  money  on  false  pre- 
tenses. Their  common  practice  was  to  represent  that  they 
had  discovered  buried  treasures,  but  wanted  money  to  per- 
form certain  idolatrous  rites  to  prevent  evil  spirits  from  re- 
moving it,  while  they  should  dig  for  it.  They  would  thus 
take  advantage  of  the  superstition  and  covetousness  of  some 
wealthy  Hindu,  promising  to  give  him  a  portion  of  the  treas- 
ure ;  and  having  obtained  from  him  a  few  hundred  rupees 
for  the  expense  of  the  proposed  rites,  they  would  disappear 
with  the  raoney.  When  Govind  became  acquainted  with 
Christian  truth,  his  conscience  rebuked  him  for  this  as  for 
all  evil  practices,  and  he  resolved  to  abandon  them  and  his 
wicked  companions,  and  commence  a  new  course  of  life. 
He  was  resolute  in  his  purpose^  and  made  restitution  so  far 
as  he  could,  to  those  whom  he  had  helped  to  defraud.  But 
his  associates,  either  in  revenge  because  he  left  them,  or  fear- 
ing he  would  inform  against  them,  hastened  to  accuse  him 
to  government,  and  got  him  apprehended  and  condemned  to 
a  year's  imprisonment  and  a  heavy  fine.  The  case  having 
come  before  an  English  officer,  Capt.  Hervey,  it  appeared  so 
evident  that  Govind  had  forsaken  his  wrong- doings  before 
his  apprehension,  and  that  the  charges  had  been  preferred 
in  malice  by  his  old  associates  because  he  had  reformed  and 
left  them  from  the  promptings  of  his  own  conscience,  that 
the  magistrate  remitted  his  fine  and  imprisonment,  and  took 
him  into  favor.  Govind's  examination  before  government 
elicited  the  facts  mentioned,  as  also  his  satisfactory  know- 
ledge of  Christian  truth.  Two  questions  and  his  replies, 
taken  from  the  records  of  government,  are  as  follows  : 

" '  Question. — You  have  said  that  you  began  to  think  of 
making  restitution  to  those  you  had  wronged ;  what  led  you 
to  this  ? 

"  '•Ansicer.  —  I  had  been  reading  portions  of  the  English 
Scriptures  given  to  me  at  Kolapoor  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilder, 
the  American  missionary,  who  had  also  given  me  a  great  deal 
of  good  advice ;  and  I  perceived  that  such  ought  now  to  be 
my  conduct,  and  that  I  should  leave  off  all  such  bad  courses  as 


GOVIND   APA  CHOWHAX.  259 

I  Imd  been  addicted  to.  I  liad  resolved  to  enter  into  the  Christ- 
ian faith  by  being  baptized,  and  I  had  quite  forsaken  my  e\il 
ways. 

" '  Question.  —  What  do  you  understand  by  tlie  Christian 
faith  ? 

"  ''Ansioer. — In  the  Hindu  faith  no  one  had  ever  oficred  any 
atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  world;  in  the  Christian  faith  I 
felt  that  there  had  been  a  Saviour;  I  felt  that  I  had  been  a 
great  sinner,  and  that  there  was  no  hope  left  me  of  pardon 
except  through  that  Saviour,  Christ.  Such  was  and  is  my 
faith.  Neither  had  Ramkrishna,  Brahma,  Yishnoo,  Siva,  Ma- 
rootc,  nor  any  one  in  the  Hindu  faith,  not  even  the  Mussul- 
man's pi'ophet,  nor  any  one  in  any  creed  whatever,  taken  upon 
themselves  and  given  up  their  lives  for  the  transgressions  of 
mankind ;  and  it  was  from  the  Christian  religion  alone  that  I 
came  to  feel  I  was  a  great  sinner,  which  I  did  not  i^orceive 
accordins:  to  anv  other  reliojion.  I  had  not  either  in  my 
Iieart,  acknowledged  any  fear  of  God  (Permeshwur)  hitherto. 
I  did  so  now  by  the  Christian  religion.  I  felt  that  God  was 
near  me  and  saw  every  thing  I  did.  I  felt  convinced  for  this, 
and  therefore  I  began  to  repent.' 

"  The  date  of  the  instruction  and  feelings  here  described 
was  in  the  spring  of  1853.  After  further  instruction  and 
the  evidence  of  his  sincerity  for  four  years,  he  was  baptized 
and  admitted  to  church  fellowship,  witnessing  a  good  con- 
fession. The  influence  of  this  convert  was  being  felt  for 
good*  and  two  or  three  of  his  relatives  were  asking  for  bap- 
tism, when  we  were  obliged  to  leave  the  mission.  To  leave 
him  thus,  with  no  missionary  to  direct  his  efforts,  or  to 
watch  over  him  and  encourage  the  development  of  liis 
Christian  character,  and  to  foster  the  convictions  in  the 
minds  of  others  —  this  rendered  the  necessity  of  leaving 
the  mission  one  of  the  severest  trials  of  our  lives.  Our 
thoughts  often  go  back  to  him  and  others,  and  the  interests 
of  the  mission,  w'ith  intense  anxiety.  A  recent  letter  from 
Rev.  Mr.  Wood,  of  Satara,  reports  a  visit  from  Govind  to 
that  mission,  seventy  miles  from  KoLapoor,  and  says  :  '  He 
appeared  very  well.  He  went  to  Mr.  M.'s  meeting  on  Fri- 
day evening,  and  spoke  for  half  an  hour  to  a  large  audience.' 


2(50  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

"  He  soon  returned  to  Kolapoor,  with  no  missionary  to 
watcli  over  and  encourage  him.  May  the  Lord  keep  him 
and  make  him  a  bright  light  in  that  dark  place !  " 

The  number  of  inquirers  increased,  and  the  whole  num- 
ber baptized,  at  Kolapoor,  or  after  removing  to  other  sta- 
tions, \Y8isJive.  All  of  them  were  for  months  or  years  un- 
der our  daily  teaching,  either  in  our  city  schools  or  at  our 
bouse.  Several  of  our  teachers  became  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  the  truth,  and  were  free  to  admit  their  convic- 
tions ;  and  some  of  them  often  came  to  read  the  Bible  and 
pray  with  me  alone,  and  seemed  almost  ready  to  profess 
their  faith  in  Christ. 

The  Schools   abandoned  by  the  Deputation. 

And  here  I  have  to  record,  with  sorrow,  the  abandon- 
ment of  these  interesting  schools  which  had  cost  us  so  much 
effort.,  and  which  gave  us  so  valuable  a  connection  with 
the  people  and  such  bright  promise  for  the  future.  The 
report  of  the  mission  for  1855,  after  speaking  of  the  influ- 
ence of  the  schools,  says  : 

"  Such  being  our  estimate  of  these  schools,  the  necessity  of 
abandoning  them  has  proved  a  severe  trial.  Our  late  Deputa- 
tion pronounced  sentence  against  them.  In  respectfully  yield- 
ing to  their  authority  these  schools  have  been  suspended.  They 
have  been  more  prosperous  the  past  year  than  formerly,  owing 
to  the  diminishing  fears  and  prejudices  of  the  people,  and  at 
the  date  of  their  suspension  they  embraced  some  five  hundred 
boys  and  young  men  and  about  one  hundred  girls,  of  whom 
some  four  hundred  of  the  former  and  fifty  of  the  latter  were 
in  regular  daily  attendance. 

"  Notwithstanding  our  very  great  deference  to  the  wisdom 
of  our  Deputation,  we  have  been  unable  to  close  these  schools 
without  feelings  of  sincere  grief  and  sorrow.  We  can  not 
avoid  being  conscious  of  the  fact  that  their  suspension  is  prov- 
ing a  cause  of  triumph  to  every  opposer  of  the  Gospel  in  Kol- 
apoor ;  while  our  deepest  convictions  from  all  past  experience, 
assure  us  that  the  loss  of  these  schools  involves  the  sacrifice  of 
our  most  effective  agency  for  prosecuting  our  missionary  la- 


TITE   SCHOOLS   RK-AUTHOIllZED.  201 

"bors.  We  may  still  be  able  to  come  in  contact  with  i?idiind- 
ttals — one  here  and  another  there.  Bnt  tliis  we  could  do  be- 
fore and  with  how  vastly  greater  advantage  and  effect  when 
daily  and  weekly  instructing  hundreds  in  the  precious  truths 
of  the  Gospel ! 

"  If  our  Deputation  could  exchange  places  and  labors  with 
us  for  a  twelve-month,  we  can  not  for  a  moment  doubt  that 
they  would  advocate  these  schools  with  all  the  persistency  and 
authority  with  which  they  now  oppose  them ;  and  in  case  of 
their  suppression,  would  not  only  grieve  for  their  loss,  but 
spare  no  pains  or  efforts  to  win  again  the  confidence  of  the 
parents,  and  recover  this  most  economical  and  effective  agency 
for  making  known  Christ  to  these  perishing  idolaters. 

"We  still  cling  to  the  hope  that  our  Deputation  and  Home 
Committee  will  yet  reverse  their  action  and  allow  these  schools 
to  be  reopened,  but  for  the  present  they  are  all  suspended. 

"  Our  friends  in  this  country  have  manifested  a  very  kind 
interest  in  these  schools  from  the  first,  and  it  may  gratify  them 
to  knoAV  that  their  generous  contributions  have  wholly^  sup- 
ported them.  N'ot  a  farthing  of  their  expense  has  come  from 
the  home  funds  of  the  Board  since  their  origin.'''' 

The  Schools  re-authorized  by  the  Prudential  Committee. 

No  one  understanding  the  history  and  value  of  these 
schools  can  wonder  at  the  earnest  appeal  which  was  sent  to 
the  Prudential  Committee  at  that  date,  in  their  behalf.  (See 
p.  144.)  That  appeal  reached  America  about  the  date  of 
the  special  meeting  at  Albany,  March  4,  1856,  and  received 
a  kind  hearing  from  the  Prudential  Committee.  Permis- 
sion to  resume  our  schools  was  promptly  sent,  and  reached 
us  in  June.  In  the  report  of  the  mission  for  185G,  this 
event  is  thus  noticed : 

"  At  the  close  of  last  year  it  was  ^^^th  much  regret  that  we 
reported  our  schools  disbanded  in  deference  to  the  wishes  and 
authority  of  our  late  Deputation.  .  .  Tliey  had  adopted 
views  adverse  to  the  employment  of  heathen  teachers.  .  .  . 
But  our  best  endeavors  to  obtain  Christian  teachers  for  Ivoh- 
poor  had  been  in  vain,     We  had  no  alternative.     AVe  must 


262  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

employ  heathen  teachers  or  none  at  all.  And  what  made  the 
case  more  emergent,  experience  had  shown  ns  that  by  means  of 
these  schools  we  could  obtain  regular  and  stated  audiences  for 
our  preaching  services,  and  much  most  desirable  intercourse 
with  the  people ;  while  without  them  our  intercourse  w^ith  the 
people  was  extremely  limited,  and  we  could  obtain  no  regular 
audiences  whatever.  In  view  of  these  facts  few  will  wonder 
that  we  very  much  regretted  the  loss  of  our  schools.  But  our 
Deputation  did  not  find  time  to  visit  Kolapoor,  and  hence 
gained  no  personal  knowledge  of  the  peculiar  difficulties  in- 
volved in  the  origin  of  a  mission  in  this  part  of  India.  Our 
best  arguments,  while  with  them  at  Ahmednuggur,  failed  to 
change  their  views  ;  and  our  request  to  be  allowed  to  continue 
our  schools  on  our  private  responsibility — drawing  no  support 
for  them  from  the  home  funds  of  the  Board,  and  not  even  re- 
jDorting  them  to  the  Board  as  a  regular  part  of  our  mission  op- 
erations— failed  of  securing  their  assent.  Their  official  letter 
to  this  mission,  after  leaving  the  Bombay  presidency,  contains 
the  ^following  specific  instructions  :  '  The  appropriations  for 
boys'  schools  will  be  discontinued  next  year,  unless  the  com- 
mittee hear  from  you,  that  you  have  schools  not  under  heathen 
masters,  which  the  Board  can  properly  sustain.'* 

"  Our  schools  were  accordingly  disbanded,  all  our  effi^rts  to 
obtain  Christian  teachers  having  proved  unavailing.  These 
facts  having  become  a  part  of  the  history  of  our  mission,  it 
seems  proper  to  place  them  on  record. 

"  At  the  same  time  it  is  with  devout  gratitude  we  record 
also,  that  our  Home  Committee  and  Deputation  kindly  recon- 
sidered their  action,  and  in  June  we  received  a  renewal  of 
their  sanction  for  these  schools.  They  were  reestablished 
without  loss  of  time — the  same  teachers  being  employed  as 
far  as  possible,  and  the  same  pupils  gathered  into  them  so  far 
as  they  could  be  found  and  persuaded  to  return.  The  schools 
have  not  yet  regained  their  former  character  and  numbers,  but 
are  gradually  improving.  Among  the  pupils  of  these  schools, 
up  to  the  time  they  were  disbanded,  were  the  nephew  of  the 
king  and  three  or  four  other  children  from  the  palace.  This  in- 
troduced our  Christian  books  there.  Our  schools,  from  the  first, 

• 
*  This  interdict  covered  not  only  the  home  funds  of  the  Society,  but  also 
local  contributions  received  in  India. 


OUTBllEAK   OF   THE   SEPOY   MUTIXV.  2C>S 

have  had  a  very  manifest  influence  in  awakening  more  interest 
on  the  subject  of  education,  and  in  winning  tlie  favorable  re- 
gards of  the  people. 

"  The  Kolapoor  mission  is  still  in  its  infancy,  and  must  be 
content  to  rely  for  growth  and  progress,  on  the  same  agencies 
which  the  Lord  has  so  eminently  blest  in  all  our  older  mis- 
sions. 

"  Two  of  our  Brahman  teachers  have  manifested  increasing 
interest  in  the  trutli  for  some  months  past,  coming  often  for 
private  instruction  and  freely  stating  their  convictions  ;  and  we 
hope  and  pray  that  they  may  soon  have  grace  and  courage 
to  profess  Christ  before  the  world.  Several  other  inquirers 
also  encourage  our  hopes  that  a  good  work  is  begun  in  their 
hearts." 

In  the  printed  repoii;  of  1857  we  read  of  these  schools: 

"  They  continued  to  prove  one  of  our  most  valuable  agen- 
cies, till  we  were  obliged  to  suspend  them,  with  all  the  opera- 
tions of  the  mission,  when  we  left  India.  To  these  schools, 
more  than  to  all  else,  do  Ave  owe  our  preaching  audiences,  and 
the  wonderful  changes  in  the  feelings  of  the  people  from  open 
hostility  to  kindly  civilities  and  friendly  intercourse.  These 
schools  have  introduced  our  Christian  tracts  and  books  into 
the  king's  palace,  and  into  thousands  of  the  best  fiamilies  of 
Kolapoor.  One  of  these  schools  arrested  the  attention  of 
our  first  inquirer,  and  drew  him  to  us  for  instruction  Avhicli, 
with  the  blessing  of  God,  resulted  in  his  becoming  the  first  con- 
vert baptized  in  the  kingdom.  To  these  schools  may  be  traced 
the  influence  which  brought  around  us,  on  leaving  Kolapoor, 
ci-owds  of  Hindus  to  utter  their  parting  salutations,  and  ex- 
press their  desires  and  hopes,  some  of  them  with  tearful  in- 
terest, that  Ave  might  soon  return." 

Outbreak  of  the  Sepoy  Mutiny. 

We  left  India  the  day  after  the  sudden  outbreak  of  the 
terrible  mutiny  of  1857.  But  our  leaving  had  no  connec- 
tion with  that  event.  It  was  not  even  knoAvn  to  us  at  the 
time  we  sailed.     Under  the  severe  labor  and  exposure  in- 


264  :\rissioN  schools. 

Tolved  in  laying  the  foundations  of  this  new  mission,  my 
health  entirely  failed,  and  I  had  remained  at  my  post  a 
whole  year  against  the  advice  of  my  brethren  and  medical 
attendants,  still  hoping  my  system  would  rally;  but  in  vain. 
We  came  to  America  with  the  cordial  approval  of  the  ex- 
ecutive officers  of  the  Board.  The  necessity  of  coming  in- 
volved a  severe  trial.  We  had  just  completed  a  mission- 
house  near  the  cit}^,  and  the  increasing  interest  of  the  peo- 
ple, the  hopeful  conversion  of  some,  and  a  large  band  of 
earnest  inquirers,  all  the  circumstances  of  the  mission,  in 
fine,  combined  to  make  us  regret  the  necessity  of  leaving 
as  we  did.  From  a  note  addressed  to  one  of  the  officers  of 
the  Board,  as  we  were  embarking  at  Bombay,  the  following 
extract  indicates  something  of  our  feelings  : 

"This  is  a  very,  very  sad  day  to  us.  Our  brethren  and  the 
doctors  combined,  have  persuaded  us  to  turn  our  backs  on  the 
mission  and  work  where  we  have  experienced  so  much  joy  and 
sorrow,  hope  and  disappointment ;  and  we  feel  as  though  de- 
tached from  all  that  was  most  dear  to  us  on  earth.  Many 
times  during  our  hasty  preparations  and  journey  thus  far,  have 
we  almost  resolved  to  turn  back  to  our  people  and  work  at 
Kolapoor.  Had  I  anticipated  the  severity  of  the  struggle  in 
my  own  feelings,  I  shoukl  have  much  preferred  to  remain  at 
all  hazards,  doing  what  I  could  at  my  post  of  duty,  and  going 
thence  when  the  Master  should  call.  But  friends  say  he  is  call- 
ing us  now,  to  do  what  we  can  to  save  and  restore  health  for 
longer  labor  in  future.  It  may  be  so,  and  we  will  hope  yet  to 
become  resigned,  though  at  present  it  is  by  far  the  hardest 
trial  of  our  lives." 

The  printed  report  of  1857  adds: 

"  These  strong  feelings  of  reluctance  to  leave  our  mission, 
doubtless  indicated  a  spirit  not  propei-ly  resigned  to  the  order- 
ings  of  God's  providence,  and  they  were  signally  rebuked  by 
subsequent  events.  The  voyage  was  blest  to  the  moderate  im- 
provement of  health,  and  we  reached  our  native  land  in  safety, 
but  to  hear  of  the  fearful  atrocities  of  the  Sepoy  mutiny  which 
had  con^mcneed  the  day  before  we  sailed,  though  we  knew  it 


OUTBKKAK    OF   THE   SEPOY    AUTIXV.  265 

not  then;  imd  still  more  startling  w.'is  the  fact  tlmt  the  most 
violent  outbreak  in  Westei-n  India  occuiTed  at  Kolapoor  after 
we  left  there,  involving  the  murder  of  our  nearest  European 
neighbors,  and  leaving  us  no  reason  to  hope  our  lives  would 
liave  been  sj)ared,  had  not  the  Lord  removed  us  as  he  did.  We 
would  record  this  special  providence  to  his  praise,  and  with 
thankful  hearts  for  the  hope  we  now  cherish  of  being  able  ere 
long  to  return  to  our  deserted  mission." 

The  terrific  scenes  of  the  mutiny  were  mostly  confined  to 
the  central  regions  of  Northern  India.  But  the  tide  of  dis- 
affection swept  over  Western  India,  and  conspiracies  were 
plotted  at  everj^  military  station,  and  held  in  check  only  by 
the  unceasing  vigilance  of  the  British  officers.  Even  this 
did  not  avail  at  Kolapoor,  where  a  violent  outbreak  oc- 
curred onl}^  a  few  weeks  after  we  left.  It  was  shrewdly 
planned  with  a  view  to  cut  off  all  the  officers  and  families 
connected  with  the  regiment.  The  mutineers  issued  from 
tlieir  barracks  about  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  the  darkness 
intense  and  the  rain  pouring  in  torrents.  Most  of  the  offi- 
cers were  in  their  public  mess-room,  and  the  ladies  had  an 
evening  visit  at  the  house  of  the  commanding  officer.  Major 
Kolland,  near  by. 

A  friendly  native  saw  the  mutineers  as  they  came  out  of 
their  quarters  armed,  and  perceiving  their  bloody  purpose,  he 
ran  to  the  mess,  and  his  old  mother  to  the  ladies,  and  gave 
the  alarm.  All  ran  in  haste  to  the  Kesidency,  half  a  mile  dis- 
tant in  the  opposite  direction.  The  great  darkness  was  in 
their  favor.  The  mutineers  surrounded  the  buildings  and 
began  to  fire  in  at  the  doors  and  windows  before  they  knew 
their  victims  had  escaped.  In  their  rage  they  cut  to  pieces 
the  poor  native  woman  who  informed  the  ladies ;  and  plun- 
dering and  burning  the  houses,  they  at  the  same  time  ex- 
tended themselves  across  the  camp  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
cut  off  the  escape  to  the  Kesidency  of  any  Europeans  who 
might  be  in  their  houses.  Three  unfortunate  young  officers 
had  remained  at  home,  and  fell  victims.  The  mutineers 
then  hastened  to  the  city,  passing  my  house,  but  strangely 
leaving  it  untouched.  With  many  of  them  I  was  personally 
12 


266  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

acquainted,  they  often  having  visited  me  for  conversation 
and  Christian  tracts.  I  would  gladly  hope  their  friendly 
regards  would  have  led  them  to  spare  us  had  we  been  there ; 
but  the  twelve  martyred  missionaries,  who  perished  with 
their  families  in  the  horrors  of  this  mutiny,  forbid  the  hope. 
They  knew  we  had  left  a  few  weeks  before,  and  that  the 
house  contained  no  plunder  that  would  be  of  service  to  them. 

They  hastened  to  the  city  and  sought  to  gain  access  to 
the  forces  of  the  king,  and  induce  them  also  to  join  in  the 
rebellion.  But  a  formidable  wall  makes  the  city  a  strong 
military  fortress,  and  no  access  was  possible  without  bribing 
the  gate-keepers.  In  this  they  failed,  and  remained  outside 
the  walls. 

The  little  party  of  European  officers  and  ladies  in  the 
Residency  was  still  agitated  with  the  most  painful  appre- 
hensions lest  the  other  regiment  near  them  should  rise  and 
join  the  rebels,  in  which  case  not  a  soul  of  them  could  escape. 
But  some  of  the  more  courageous  officers  ventured  to  hold 
a  parley  with  this  regiment,  and  finding  them  faithful,  those 
officers  put  themselves  at  their  head,  and  marching  down 
upon  the  mutineers,  still  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  they 
poured  in  upon  them  a  sudden  and  effective  fire  which  des- 
stroyed  most  of  them  on  the  spot.  That  morning's  sun 
revealed  not  only  the  devastations  of  the  mutineers,  but  the 
sudden  and  terrible  vengeance  that  overtook  them.  Their 
few  flying  fugitives  were  pursued  and  brought  to  punish- 
ment, and  probably  not  one  of  the  Kolapoor  rebels  now 
lives  to  tell  the  tale  of  that  fearful  night.  We  can  never 
recall  the  events  of  that  terrible  mutiny,  and  the  beloved 
friends  who  perished  in  it,  without  remembering  with  grati- 
tude the  special  providence  which  removed  us  from  its 
perils. 

The  Mission  abandoned. 

Being  alone  at  Kolapoor,  our  return  to  America  suspend- 
ed all  the  operations  of  the  mission.  But  they  were  only 
suspended^  and  we  fondly  clung  to  the  hope  that  we  should 
be  able  to  return  and  resume  our  labors.  The  sea- voyage 
did  much  for  my  broken  health,  and  it  continued  to  rally  in 


APPEAL  TO   THE   BOARD.  267 

the  bracing  air  of  my  native  land.  After  some  twelve  or 
fourteen  months,  I  mentioned,  in  an  incidental  letter  to  the 
Secretary,  my  improving  health,  and  expressed  a  hope  that 
we  should  soon  be  able  to  return  to  our  mission.  A  reply 
of  Oct.  6,  1858,  says : 

"The  Prudential  Committee  [yesterday]  voted  to  discon- 
tinue the  Kolapoor  Mission  "  ! 

Let  those  who  would  judge  of  our  grief  at  this  event,  go 
and  toil  in  such  a  dark  field  as  Kolapoor,  struggling  with 
opposition  and  difficulties  with  a  strength  of  purpose  and 
interest  that  winds  the  heart-strings  around  the  converts,  in- 
quirers, schools,  and  all  the  interests  of  the  mission,  so 
closely  that  they  can  not  be  severed  without  leaving  them 
mangled,  bleeding,  and  pal2)itating  from  the  effect  of  such 
violence. 

This  abandonment  of  the  mission  was  just  after  our  annual 
meeting,  and  there  was  no  ch;ince  for  an  appeal  to  the  Board 
for  nearly  a  year.  Why  is  it  that  such  business  is  never 
brought  before  the  whole  Board  before  the  Prudential  Com- 
mittee have  taken  action?  Why  did  the  Deputation  start 
for  India  with  such  absolute  powers,  to  speak  and  act  for 
the  Board,  just  hefove  the  meeting  of  the  Board,  and  without 
seeking  advice  and  authority  from  its  proper  source^ 

Appeal  from  the  Prudential  Committee  to  the  Board. 

At  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  Board  held  in  Phila- 
delphia, Oct.  4,  1859,  an  appeal  was  presented  in  behalf  of 
this  mission.  My  first  request  for  a  hearing,  was  declined, 
but  at  a  subsequent  stage  of  the  meeting  when  no  business 
was  ready  and  missionaries  were  called  out  to  fill  ujd  the 
time,  a  gentleman  in  the  audience,  a  stranger  to  mj'self, 
arose,  and  with  dignified  firmness,  asked :  "If  missionaries 
are  to  be  heard,  why  not  hear  Mr.  W.,  who  requested  a 
hearing  this  morning  ?"  The  inquiry  was  opportune,  and 
secured  a  kind  hearing  for  the  following 


268  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Appeal. 

»"  Mr.  President,  Fathers  axd  Brethren  : 

"  It  has  been  aunounced  to  you  that  one  of  your  missions  m 
Western  India  has  been  abandoned.  In  the  official  announce- 
ment of  this  action  to  myself,  the  reason  assigned  was  in  the 
following  words  :  '  It  is  thought  that  the  funds  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Board  can  be  expended  in  India  to  better  advantage, 
than  in  a  merely  protected  state,  where  the  toleration  and  pro- 
tection for  the  missionary  and  his  converts  are  but  partial,  as  is 
the  fact  in  Kolapoor.' 

"  In  closing  my  reply  to  the  Prudential  Committee  on  this 
subject,  I  remarked :  '  I  believe  there  is  proper  provision  for 
an  appeal  from  such  action  of  the  Committee  to  the  whole 
Board.  In  proper  time  and  manner  I  shall  wish  to  avail  myself 
of  this  right  of  appeal  in  the  present  case.  If  you  think  of  any 
suggestions  that  may  be  of  service  to  me  in  preparing  and  pre- 
senting such  an  appeal,  please  send  them  to  me  at  your  earliest 
convenience.'  The  Committee  have  not  favored  me  with  any 
such  suggestions,  but  supposing  the  proper  time  has  come,  I 
desire  respectfully  to  appeal  from  this  action  of  the  Committee, 
to  the  judgment  of  your  larger  body.  In  doing  so,  I  beg  to 
submit  that  the  reason  assigned  for  abandoning  this  mission, 
(namely,  that  Kolapoor  is  '  a  merely  a  protected  state,')  though 
a  proper  consideration  to  be  weighed  at  the  inception  of  the 
mission,  is  no  valid  reason  for  abandoning  it  after  some  five 
years  of  successful  labor.  Perhaps  I  should  say  just  here,  that 
the  origin  of  the  mission  is  traceable  to  no  wish  of  mine,  but 
rests  entirely  with  the  Committee.  Waiving  all  allusion,  how- 
ever, to  past  action,  I  beg  to  submit  the  following  reasons  why 
the  Kolapoor  mission  should  be  at  once  resumed  and  vigorous- 
ly carried  on  by  the  American  Board : 

"1.  It  is  a  large  and  interesting  field  of  labor. — Just  un- 
der the  Avindow  of  my  '  home '  in  India,  is  the  city  of  Kola- 
poor, with  a  population  of  44,000  idolaters.  So  frequent  and 
flourishing  are  the  villages  around  it,  that  within  twenty  miles 
of  my  door  is  a  population  of  120,000.  And  beyond  on  every 
side,  is  a  wide  region  of  unbroken  Hinduism,  embracing  three 
or  four  millions. 

"  2.  It  is  a  needy  field. — Darkness  reigns  there  such  as  may 
be  felt.     Human  victims  have  been  offered  to  their  cruel  gods 


APPKAL  TO  THE  BOARD.  269 

within  the  memory  of  mnny  still  living.  ...  A  few  years 
ago,  British  officers  canvassed  the  whole  kingdom,  and  found 
only  400  boys,  and  no  girls,  receiving  any  education.  They 
need  the  Gospel,  and  this  alone  can  elevate  and  save  them. 

"3.  It  is  an  unoccupied  field. — Xo  other  mis^onary  society 
is  laboring  in  that  whole  region.  I  am  the  only  missionary 
who  was  ever  sent  to  live  and  labor  in  it.  My  nearest  mission- 
ary neighbor  is  at  Satara,  seventy  miles  distant. 

"  4.  It  is  a  2^^'omisi?ig  field. — It  is  true  that  at  first  the 
people  showed  great  prejudice  and  determined  opposition. 
They  sent  to  their  king  a  numerously  signed  petition  praying 
him  to  banish  us  from  his  kingdom.  And  when  they  found  we 
were  not  banished,  they  adopted  a  rigid  system  of  non  inter- 
course. Our  best  efforts  to  gain  a  hearing  from  the  people 
were  quite  in  vain.  But  when  at  length  we  succeeded  in  gather- 
ing some  of  their  children  into  schools,  their  prejudices  and 
opposition  rapidly  disappeared.  The  very  men  who  petitioned 
our  banishment  came  in  numbers  to  converse  and  listen,  and 
with  the  nucleus  of  the  schools  Ave  were  always  able  to  secure 
an  audience  of  eighty  to  two  hundred  hearers. 

''More  than  a  dozen  became  enlightened,  and  admitted  their 
convictions  of  the  truth.  Of  these,  five  were  baptized  and  ad- 
mitted to  church  fellowship. 

"  Not  less  than  500  youth  became  well  instructed  in  the  funda- 
mental doctrines  of  our  Christian  faith,  and  an  amount  of  Christ- 
ian knowledge  was  Avidely  disseminated  among  the  people,  at 
thought  of  which  our  hearts  always  swell  with  gratitude  and 
hope.  We  left  some  fifty  girls  able  to  read  the  Bible,  recite 
catechisms,  and  repeat  and  sing  Christian  hymns,  where  before 
not  a  respectable  girl  or  woman  in  the  whole  kingdom  knew 
her  letters.  Here  was  progress  which  gladdened  our  hearts, 
and  we  know  of  no  mission  of  this  Board  in  India  upon  which 
the  Lord  has  bestowed  a  larger  blessing,  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  labor,  in  its  first  years. 

"5.  It  has  a  good  climate. — Situated  a  little  east  of  the 
mountains,  it  is  free  from  the  very  heavy  rains  of  Bombay  and 
the  coast,  while  its  proximity  to  the  ocean  secures  a  sea-breeze 
to  modify  the  intense  heat  of  the  hot  season,  and  thus  the 
climate  is  a  little  more  favorable  than  that  of  any  other  station 
occupied  by  our  Board  in  Western  India. 

"  6.   The  native  government  is  friendly, — The  king  did  not 


270  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

banish  us  at  the  request  of  his  subjects.  Myself  and  wife  have 
always  been  cordially  welcomed  at  the  palace. 

"  After  our  schools  convinced  the  people  that  we  desired  to 
do  them  good,  four  or  five  children  and  youth  from  the  palace 
attended  them  till  they  were  suppressed  by  your  late  Depu- 
tation. 

"At  the  outbreak  of  the  late  terrible  mutiny,  when  the 
houses  of  some  of  the  British  officers  were  plundered  and 
burned,  our  mission-buildings  remained  unharmed.  We  never 
lacked  protection  for  ourselves  or  our  converts.  When  your 
Committee  authorized  us  to  build  a  mission-house,  the  king 
offered  us  all  the  ground  w^e  desired.  The  day  we  were  obliged, 
in  broken  health,  to  leave  Kolapoor  for  America,  he  sent  his 
court  officers  to  express  his  regrets  and  a  kind  farewell,  and 
some  hundred  natives  gathered  around  our  house,  remaining 
from  early  morning  till  four  o'clock  p.m.,  and  then  accompanied 
us  some  distance  from  the  city,  repeating  their  kind  wishes  and 
hopes  for  our  return,  mingled  with  their  touching  farewells. 

"  7.  A  good  foundation  has  been  laid. — The  special  difficul- 
ties involved  at  first,  in  the  prejudices  and  opposition  of  the 
people,  have  been  outlived.  A  dwelling-house,  chapel,  and 
school-house  have  been  built.  A  beginning  has  been  made  full 
of  promise. 

"  Col.  R.  Phayre,  Quarter-Master-General  of  the  Bombay 
Army,  a  man  in  character  and  piety  quite  of  the  Havelock 
stamp,  sending  a  monthly  subscription  for  our  schools,  wrote 
as  follows :  '  I  wish  particularly  to  support  your  work,  which 
I  look  upon  as  second  in  importance  to  none  that  I  have  seen.' 
'  I  must  say  that  I  have  nowhere  seen  a  more  satisfactory  state 
of  matters  than  I  witnessed  that  Sunday  in  Kolapoor.'  '  When 
I  visited  your  mission-house,  and  saw  the  practical  working  of 
your  own  and  Mrs.  Wilder's  faith  and  love,  I  could  not  help 
offering  heartfelt  thanksgiving  to  God,  who  had  implanted  so 
promising  and  flourishing  a  nursery  in  the  very  heart  of  one  of 
the  most  bigoted  and  perhaps  hostile  cities  in  the  Southern 
Mali  rat  ta  country.' 

"  Similar  statements  have  been  sent  to  me  by  some  twenty 
or  thirty  devoted  chaplains,  missionaries,  and  Christian  laymen 
in  India. 

"  The  Oriental  Christian  Spectator^  an  able  periodical  pub- 
lished at  Bombay,  making  a  kind  note  of  our  departure  from 


APPEAL  TO  THE  BORAl).  271 

India,  after  speaking  of  our  life  and  labors  several  years  at 
Alimednuggur,  adds :  *  Of  the  Kolapoor  mission,  in  the  same 
province,  Mr.  Wilder  has  been  the  father  and  founder,  laying 
by  wise  educational  and  other  evangelistic  measures,  a  good 
foundation  for  the  time  to  come,  and  on  which,  we  trust,  he 
will  in  after-years  be  spared  to  build.' 

"  Here,  then,  is  your  Kolapoor  mission — A  large  field — A 
needy  field — An  unoccupied  field — A  promising  field —  With  a 
good  climate — A  friendly  native  govern^nent^  and  '  a  good 
foundation  for  the  time  to  come^  already  laid. 

"  Your  Committee  entered  upon  this  field  of  their  own  free 
will  and  accord.  Are  there  not  strong  reasons  for  holding  on 
and  prosecutmg  tlie  mission  with  vigor  ?  I  need  not  speak  of 
the  pernicious  influence  upon  the  minds  of  the  Hindus,  of  fickle 
and  hesitating  eflbrts,  of  beginning  to  build  and  not  being  able 
to  finish.  I  need  not  remind  you  of  the  scriptural  estimate  of 
those  who  put  their  hand  to  the  plow  and  look  back ;  but  I  do 
urge  that  Kolapoor  is  a  noble  field  for  missionary  effort.  It  is 
embraced  in  the  title-deed  of  Christ  and  his  great  commission 
to  the  Church.  The  idolaters  there  need  the  Gospel,  and  must 
have  it,  or  perish  forever.  You  have  voluntarily  entered  th^ 
field.  Are  there  not  weighty  reasons  Avhy  you  should  prose- 
cute your  mission  there  with  increasing  energy  ? 

"  In  urging  this  Appeal,  I  present  only  such  arguments  as 
remain  valid  whether  I  live  or  die.  I  say  nothing  of  our  own 
personal  attachment — of  the  closeness  with  which  our  heart- 
strings have  become  entwined  around  the  dear  children  and 
youth,  and  all  the  interests  of  that  forsaken  mission.  Our  years 
of  toil,  discouragement  and  suffering,  while  continuing  to  hope 
against  hope  till  we  outlived  the  peculiar  prejudices  of  the 
people,  have  only  bound  our  hearts  more  closely  to  them  and 
the  work  to  which  we  have  devoted  our  lives.  But  the  argu- 
ments here  urged  will  remain  valid  in  any  possible  event. 

"  With  becoming  deference  to  your  honorable  body,  this 
appeal  is  respectfully  submitted ;  and  I  sincerely  hope  the  Lord 
may  incline  your  hearts  to  pass  a  resolve  at  once,  unanimously 
resuming  the  Kolapoor  mission. 

"  But,  if  not — if  you  disregard  this  appeal — when  the  mem- 
ory of  our  forsaken  mission  comes  over  our  souls  with  sorrow, 
we  shall  at  least  have  this  consolation,  that  loe  have  done  for  it 
what  we  could.  R.  G.  Wilder." 


272  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Could  a  vote  have  been  taken  when  this  appeal  was  list- 
ened to  so  kindly,  would  not  the  mission  have  been  instantly 
resumed,  as  unanimously  as  the  assembly  at  the  late  Jubilee 
Meeting  declared  for  $400,000  the  present  year? 

This  appeal  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Mahrat- 
ta  missions,  who  reported  : 

"  The  Prudential  Committee  have  judged  it  best  not  to  re- 
occupy  the  field,  (Kolapoor,)  for  the  reason  that  four  independ- 
ent centres  of  operation  in  Western  India,  are  found  to  be  too 
many  for  the  amount  of  funds  that  can  be  devoted  to  that  part 
of  the  heathen  world.  The  cause  here  assigned  is  one  of  those 
financial  trials  overtaking  the  Committee,  in  the  pressure  of 
the  times  and  the  exio*encies  of  the  Board  in  re^rard  to 
funds.     .     .     . 

"Your  Committee  heard  with  great  interest  the  appeal  of 
the  worthy  missionary,  (presented  with  so  much  ability,  zeal, 
and  earnestness,)  whom  ill-health  forced  from  this  important 
field;  and  they  would  urge,  in  view  of  all  the  facts  cf  the  ooa«», 
that  amid  other  and  even  more  important  fields  in  Western 
India,  the  one  in  question  should  be  kept  in  sight  by  the  Pru- 
dential Committee,  and  be  reoccupied  when  the  funds  of  the 
Board  and  men  at  its  command,  shall  justify  such  action." — 
Ann.  Report  for  1859,  jd.  18,  and  Missionary  Herald^  p.  333. 

This  report  referred  the  case  entirely  to  the  pleasure  of 
the  Prudential  Committee,  who  had  before  abandoned  the 
mission.  Does  not  this  result  fully  verify  the  recent  state- 
ment of  one  of  our  leading  editors  of  the  religious  press, 
that,  "If  the  Prudential  Committee  err  in  judgment  in  a 
case  like  Mr.  W.'s,  it  is  hardly  practicable,  as  such  cases 
are  managed,  for  the  Board  to  correct  the  error"?  The 
Prudential  Committee  did  not  reconsider  their  action,  and 
the  mission  remains  abandoned. 

Re-establishment  of  the  Mission. 

But  "  there  is  hope  of  a  tree,  if  it  be  cut  down,  that  it 
will  sprout  again."  There  is  deep  and  abiding  interest  in 
this  forsaken  mission.  Many  praying  men  and  women  are 
unable  to  understand  whv  it  should  be  abandoned.     In  the 


RK-KSTABLTSHMENT   OF   THK    >rTSSIOX.  273 

midst  of  a  dense  population  of  heathen,  seventy  miles  from 
any  other  mission,  with  millions  of  perishing  idolaters  around 
it — why,  oh!  v:hy  should  it  be  abandoned?  Why  should 
the  strength  of  a  mission  family  for  some  five  years,  and 
$10,000  in  money  expended  in  laying  its  foundation,  be 
thus  sacrificed  ?  Is  it  not  a  good  locality  ?  All  testimony 
confirms  the  statements  of  the  foregoing  Appeal.  Dr.  An- 
derson himself  writes : 

"  Kola  poor  is  a  better  place^''''  and  "i"  could  not  hut  hope 
it  icoidd  take  the  place  of  Aurungabad  in  our  plan  of  enlarge- 
ment.'''' "  You  have  [at  KolapoorJ  one  of  the  most  eligible 
posts  in  the  Deccan.  In  my  own  mind  its  aspects  stand  related 
to  the  very  delightful  ones  of  Satara,  one  of  the  finest  mission- 
ary loccdities  I  Jicive  seen  in  Indian 

The  friends  of  missions  are  not  satisfied  that  this  interest- 
ing field  should  be  thus  given  up.  And  how  can  they  be  ? 
The  plea  that  it  is  in  "a  merely  protected  state,"  does  not 
satisfy,  for  this  should  have  been  considered  before  so  much 
toil  and  money  had  been  expended.  Besides,  the  Govern- 
ment is  to  all  intents  and  purposes  British,  the  king  having 
little  power,  being  decidedly  friendly  to  the  mission,  and 
allowingj  no  hindrance  whatever  to  our  labors. 

The  plea  based  on  a  loant  of  funds  is  not  satisfactory,  for 
$2000  a  3^ear — less  than  the  salary  of  our  treasurer — for  the 
whole  expense  of  the  mission,  is  too  small  a  sum  for  which 
to  abandon  snclt  a  field.  Besides,  the  Prudential  Committee 
immediately  commenced  another  station  at  Sholapoor,  more 
remote  from  any  occupied  station  than  Kolapoor,  and  where 
foundations  must  be  again  laid  at  heavy  expense  ! 

Ecclesiastical  Action. 

Many  of  the  best  fi'iends  of  the  Board  have  felt  troubled 
and  grieved  by  the  abandonment  of  this  mission.  Two 
large  ecclesiastical  bodies,  whose  members  have  ever  been 
among  its  warmest  friends  and  zealous  supporters,  have  felt 
constrained  to  put  on  record  the  following  resolutions : 
12- 


274  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


Action  of  the  Champlain  Presbytery. 

"  Whei'eas^  from  long  and  intimate  acquaintance  of  some  of 
us  with  the  Rev.  R.  G.  Wilder,  and  in  view  of  his  present  cir- 
cumstances and  his  earnest  desire  to  return  to  his  missionary 
field,  we  feel  it  to  be  a  matter  of  justice  to  him  and  to  the 
cause  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  express  our  sympathies  and 
sentiments ;  therefore, 

^'  1.  JResolved,  That  we  have  impUcit  confidence  in  the  Christ- 
ian and  ministerial  character  of  brother  Wilder,  his  strict  integ- 
rity and  exemplaryfidelity  while  in  the  service  of  the  A.B.C.F.M., 
[15  years,]  as  well  as  in  his  assiduous  efforts  to  excite  and  in- 
crease in  our  home  churches  the  true  spirit  of  Christian  mis- 
sions. 

"2.  Hesolved,  That  we  consider  him  possessed  of  rare  quali- 
fications for  the  missionary  enterprise,  and  regret  that  impaired 
health  obliged  him  to  leave  the  foreign  field,  where  he  had 
labored  with  great  success,  and  to  which  he  was  ardently 
attached. 

"  3.  Jiesolved,  That  as  brother  Wilder's  health  is  now  so  far 
restored  that  he  deems  it  safe,  and  is  earnestly  desirous  to 
return  to  Kolapoor,  and  being  already  familiar  with  the  Mah- 
ratta  language,  we  consider  it  very  desirable  that  the  way  be 
opened  to  secure  this  important  object. 

"  4.  Hesolved,  That  we  will  cheerfully  assist  him  ourselves, 
and  we  cordially  commend  him  to  all  whose  hearts  the  Lord 
may  incline  to  aid  him  with  their  prayers  and  contributions. 
"  Stephen  H.  Williams,  Stated  Clerk. 

'-'•Ghateaugay^  June  20,  1860." 

Action  of  the  St.  Lawrence  Consociation. 

^^ Hesolved,  That  having  listened  to  the  statements  of  Rev. 
R.  G.  Wilder,  returned  missionary  from  Kolapoor,  Lidia,  we 
commend  him  to  the  sympathies,  prayers  and  contributions  of 
the  Churches  of  Consociation,  and  to  all  who  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  in  the  hope  that  he  may  be  encouraged  and  sus- 
tained in  his  noble  determination  to  return  and  resume  his 
labors  among  the  perishing  Hindus  of  Kolapoor. 

"Attest,  P.  Montague,  Register. 

''Madrid,  June  27,  1860." 


TESTIMONY   OF   EUROPEAN   FRIENDS.  275 

If  this  action  were  for  my  sake  alone,  it  should  have  no 
place  here.  AVill  the  reader  kindly  dismiss  its  personal 
bearings,  and  consider  it  only  for  its  relation  to  the  interests 
of  our  dear  mission  ?  For  this  it  has  a  permanent  value,  and 
deserves  a  record  in  this  connection.  With  this  kind  and 
effective  encouragement,  and  the  ready  favor  of  many  other 
dear  friends,  whose  sympathy  and  interest  will  never  be  for- 
gotten, a  few  months'  effort  has  resulted  in  gathering  re- 
sources sufficient  to  authorize  the  attempt  to  reestablish  the 
mission.  We  go  back  with  joy,  trusting  that  the  prayers 
and  aid  of  friends,  and  the  promised  grace  and  presence  of 
Him  who  gave  our  commission^  will  sustain  us  in  that  dark 
field.  In  view  of  the  hindrances  that  have  obstructed  our 
return  for  a  time,  let  no  friend  ask.  Why  do  you  not  remain 
in  your  native  land?  Dear  native  land!  precious  "high 
places  of  Zion !"  beloved  friends  of  our  early  years !  Do 
we  not  love  then;?     God  knows. 

"  Yes,  my  native  land,  I  love  thee  ; 
All  thy  scenes,  I  love  them  well." 

But  did  not  the  Son  of  God  love  the  presence-chamber  and 
glory  of  the  Father  ?  And,  in  suffering  for  us,  did  he  not 
"  leave  us  an  example,  that  we  should  follow  his  steps"  ? 
And  has  he  not  said,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature"  ?  Is  the  Gospel  heaven's 
choicest  gift  to  man,  and  shall  the  millions  around  Kolapoor 
be  left  to  perish  without  it  ?  Where,  oh !  where  can  we  do 
more  for  Christ  and  the  salvation  of  precious  souls,  than  in 
that  dark  kingdom  ?  With  44,000  idolaters  under  my  win- 
dow, 120,000  within  a  few  miles  of  my  door,  and  millions 
around  me  a  little  more  distant,  with  no  other  missionary  to 
care  for  their  souls — where,  oh !  where  on  the  globe  can  I 
find  a  more  needy  or  noble  field  for  ChriGtiau  eifort '/ 

Testimony  of  European  Friends. 

This  sketch  of  the  Kolapoor  mission  must  here  close  for 
the  present.  But  of  the  many  statements  of  European 
friends,  elicited  by  the  suppression   of  its  schools  and  its 


276  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

temporary  abandonment,  it  is  proper  that  a  few  brief  ex- 
tracts should  find  a  record  in  this  connection — the  more  so 
as  they  have  a  direct  bearing  on  the  great  interests  of  our 
missionary  work ;  and  it  is  well  for  the  friends  of  this  cause 
in  Christian  lands  to  know  the  honest  convictions  of  intelli- 
gent laborers  and  patrons  in  the  field. 

Of  the  able  and  efficient  missionaries  of  tlie  Free  Church 
OF  Scotland,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  James  and  Kinnaird  Mitchell 
write,  (the  former  with  some  forty  years'  experience  :)  "  My 
dear  Mr.  W.,  the  Lord  had  signally  blessed  your  well-con- 
ceived plans  for  collecting  parents  to  public  worship,  along 
with  the  pupils  of  your  schools.  Such  a  fact  is  much  to  the 
point,  for  showing  the  connection  between  preaching  to 
adults  and  educational  institutions.  It  ought  surely  to  be 
taken  into  account."  ''  We  have  no  hesitation  in  employ- 
ing properly  qualified  heathen  men  to  conduct  the  literary 
branches  of  our  seminaries,  rather  than  be  without  them. 
We  would  have  just  so  many  of  these  schools  as  we  could 
properly  superintend.  In  India  these  schools  pj^esent  one 
of  the  best  possible  agencies  for  inculcating  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus  y 

After  testifying  to  the  value  of  the  different  schools,  and 
especially  of  English  schools,  they  say :  "  It  is  our  un- 
doubted experience  that  most,  if  not  all,  the  useful  converts, 
have  been  converted  through  these  institutions.  Every 
Indian  mission  ous;ht  to  have  them  from  the  first,  and  thev 
should  be  continued  in  full  energy  as  long  as  it  exists. 
They  should  never  be  extinguished,  as  we  are  sorry  to  hear 
has  been  the  case  at  some  of  the  stations  of  the  A.B.C.F.M. 
It  is  a  narroio  and  niistalcen  policy  to  discontinue  the  schools.'''' 

The  Rev.  A.  White,  missionary  of  the  same  church,  writes : 
"  Every  way  of  gaining  hearers  for  the  Gospel,  especially 
such  a  good  way  as  instructing  those  who  are  in  brutish 
ignorance,  and  quickening  the  t'-»rpid  mind  into  activity  by 
a  sound  education,  must  be  faithfnll}^  followed.  I  trust  that 
ere  long  your  schools  will  be  all  restored." 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Hislop  writes:  "I  believe  the  Hindus, 
fortified  as  they  are  by  the  buttresses  of  an  ancient  supersti- 


TESTIMONY    OF   KniOPEAN    FRIENDS.  277 

tion,  trammelled  bj  the  fetters  of  a  tyrannous  caste,  per- 
verted by  the  sophisms  of  a  flilse  philosopli}^,  and  corrupted 
by  the  impurities  of  a  degrading  m^^thology,  are  in  a  worse 
position  for  giving  an  intelligent  consideration  to  the  state- 
ments of  God's  word,  than  any  other  nation  at  the  present 
time."  Resting  an  argument  for  schools  upon  this  basis, 
Mr.  H.  adds  :  "  The  Gospel  is  made  known  by  missionaries 
in  the  schools  as  well  as  in  the  streets,  only  there  are  advan- 
tages for  making  it  known  with  effect  in  the  former  locality, 
which  can  not  be  secured  in  the  latter."  After  describing 
long-continued  and  feithful  labors  in  oral  preaching,  Mr.  H. 
says :  '^  Not  one  soul  was  awakened,  so  fjir  as  man  could 
judge,  by  the  preaching  of  the  word  in  the  city  and  vil- 
lages." "  I  can  not  fancy  any  thing  more  paralyzing  to  the 
hands  of  a  missionarv,  than  to  be  debarred  from  usino^  that 
mode  of  work  for  which  he  is  best  qualified,  or  which,  at  all 
events,  he  conscientiously  believes  to  be  the  one  most  suited 
to  his  field  of  labor." 

The  Rev.  J.  M.  Mitchell,  D.D.,  writes :  "  Were  the  Depu- 
tation offering  their  cherished  plan  of  missionary  operations 
for  the  imitation  of  all  missions  in  India,  I  should  strongly 
protest  against  a  scheme  so  exclusive.  For  a  mission  planted 
in  a  large  city  to  leave  out  education — to  leave  out  even 
English  education — is,  I  think,  in  the  present  condition  of 
India,  the  same  as  cutting  off  a  right  hand.  Towns  of  the  size 
of  Ahmednuggur  and  Kolapoor  can  not  be  efficiently  acted 
on,  without  education  coming  in  as  a  part  of  mission  work. 
In  a  new  station  like  Kolapoor,  the  prohibition  of  schools 
seems  a  very  serious  evil,  and  I  heartily  sympathize  with 
^fr.  Wilder  in  his  deep  regret  on  this  subject." 

The  Rev.  John  Wilson,  D.D.,  of  thirty  years'  experience, 
attests  the  necessity  of  schools  "on  a  very  large  scale,  to 
bring  the  Hindu  mind  to  any  thing  like  a  resemblance  to 
that  of  the  generality  of  unconverted  persons  in  Britain  and 
America."  "  The  effect  of  mission  schools  in  the  west  of 
India,"  he  adds,  "  has  certainly  not  been  that  of  diminishing 
cither  the  amount  or  efficacy  of  an}^  other  method  of  pro- 
mulgating divine  truth,  but  the  contrary.     For  every  form 


278  aAtrssioN  schools. 

in  v/liicli  the  J  exist  in  tbe  mission  to  which  I  belong,  they 
have  received  the  divine  blessing  in  actual  conversions. 
Even  those  of  them  which  have  been  taught  by  heathen 
teachers,  in  the  want  of  Christian  teachers  able  to  secure  a 
due  attendance  at  them,  have  been  thus  acknowledged  of 
the  Lord."  "  I  am  not  aware  of  a  single  European  mission- 
ary who  approves  of  the  policy  which  they  [the  American 
Deputation]  are  understood  to  have  recommended  in  refer- 
ence to  education,  either  through  the  vernacular  or  the 
English  language." 

Kev.  James  Aitken  of  more  than  twenty  years'  expe- 
rience, says:  "Is  there  no  advantage  in  getting  the  poor 
children  of  darkness  before  their  corruptions  have  been 
thoroughly  developed,  and  their  minds  preoccupied  and 
prejudiced?"  "lean  not  without  deep  interest,  advert  to 
the  fact  that,  so  far  as  my  own  observation  and  experience 
go,  all  the  really  satisfactory  converts  I  have  ever  known 
any  thing  of  in  India,  have  been  the  fruit,  either  of  educa- 
tional seminaries,  or  of  a  process  of  laborious  and  protracted 
tuition,  equal  to  that  which  is  practised  in  these  seminaries." 

Of  our  worthy  brethren  of  the  Ikish  Presbytekia.n 
Church,  Eev.  Dr.  Glasgow  very  fitly  remarks:  "Our  great 
commission  is  to  '  teach  all  nations,'  and  by  what  logic  the 
teaching  of  the  young  and  of  science  is  to  be  excluded,  I  do 
not  know."  "  I  can  testify  from  long  experience  that  the 
conducting  of  schools  does  not  decrease  but  increase  the  ac- 
tual amount  of  direct  preaching  of  the  Grospel,  by  furnish- 
ing occasions  of  time,  place,  and  audience." 

Rev.  James  McKee  of  the  same  mission,  writes  :  "  I  con- 
fess I  sympathize  with  you,  and  have  done  all  along,  in  de- 
ploring several  of  the  changes  effected  by  your  late  Depu- 
tation. Kecessity  as  well  as  wisdom  must  soon  compel  you 
to  reestablish  your  schools."  "  I  am,  I  confess,  amazed, 
that  men  such  as  those  deputed  by  your  Board,  could  so 
ignore  the  opinions  and  practices,  not  only  of  their  own 
missionaries  in  India,  but  of  the  missionaries  of  every  other 
body  of  which  I  know  any  thing.  By  their  decision  regard- 
ing schools,  they  have  virtually  pronounced  regarding  most 


TESTIMONY   OF   EUROPEAN    FRIENDS.  279 

of  the  missionaries  in  India  that  they  are  unfit  for  their  of- 
fice." "  I  am  constrained  to  believe  that  the  closing  of  the 
schools  belonging  to  the  American  missions  in  this  Presiden- 
cy, was  a  rash  and  unwise  proceeding,  and  that  the  sooner  this 
resolution  is  rescinded  and  these  schools  reopened,  the  better." 

I  have  before  me  very  full  statements  from  our  excellent 
brethren  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  stationed  at 
Belgaum,  Bellary,  Bangalore,  and  other  places.  Their  tes- 
timony is  unanimous  and  earnest  in  favor  of  schools,  and 
that  too  after  missionary  experience,  in  some  individual  cases, 
of  twenty,  thirty,  and  even  forty  years.  I  would  gladly 
place  their  valuable  statements  on  record  in  detail,  but  can 
find  room  for  only  a  few  brief  extracts.  After  developing 
their  educational  views  and  plans  at  length,  their  Corre- 
sponding Secretary,  Rev.  J.  Sewall,  adds  :  "  In  order  to  car 
ry  out  these  educational  labors,  it  is  considered  : 

"  That  hoarding -schools  for  boys  and  girls  should  be  es- 
tablished, and  vigorously  and  prayerfully  conducted  at  each 
of  our  stations.     .     .     . 

"  That   a    superior   English    and  vernacular   day-school 
should  be  established  at  each  principal   station  —  as   this 
appears  to  be  almost  the  only  method  of  reaching  that  im- 
%  portant  class  of  society,  the  children  of  the  middle  and  up- 
per ranks  of  the  people. 

"That  we  regard  it  equally  essential  that  purely  vernacu- 
lar schools  be  established  for  the  benefit  of  the  masses  of 
the  people,"  etc. 

The  views  and  practice  of  the  able  and  successful  mission- 
aries of  the  Church  of  England,  are  so  well  known  to  be 
decidedly  in  favor  of  schools  as  one  of  their  most  effective 
agencies,  that  I  need  not  quote  them  here.  I  have  them  in 
their  reports,  and  in  the  letters  of  individual  missionaries 
and  chaplains,  and  would  gladly  place  them  on  record,  es- 
pecially the  statements  of  esteemed  friends,  as  the  Rev.  C. 
Laing  and  the  Rev.  H.  H.  Brereton,  who  have  expressed 
their  very  high  estimate  of  our  schools  and  personal  labors, 
in  terms  of  special  kindness. 

And  it  should  be  known  that  the  Christian  laity  in  India 


2"'<.0  :^rissioN  school?. 

appreciate  the  effective  agency  of  our  schools,  no  less  readily 
than  the  missionaries  themselves.  The  cheerful  liberality 
with  which  they  give  to  support  these  schools,  has  already 
been  mentioned.  Some  statements  of  Col.  R.  Phayre, 
Quarter-Master  General  of  the  Bombay  army,  were  quoted 
in  the  appeal  for  the  Kolapoor  mission.  In  the  same  con- 
nection, speaking  of  our  schools  and  Sabbath  services,  he 
says :  "  There  I  witnessed  the  children  receiving  instruction 
in  the  way  of  salvation,  and  the  fathers  naturally  interested 
in  the  progress  of  their  offspring,  attending  to  hear.  Kow 
we  know  that  faith  cometh  bj^  hearing^  and  there  can  be  no 
more  auspicious  moment  for  a  man  to  hear  to  the  saving  of 
his  soul,  than  when  his  heart  is  softened  toward  the  preach- 
er by  gratitude  for  kindness  to  his  child.  I  have  now  been 
about  twenty  years  in  India,  and  have  long  felt  that  teach- 
ing 'and  preaching  must  aid  each  other."  "  Oh !  what  a 
pity  to  give  up  such  agencies.  What  can  you  do  without 
them  in  such  a  place  as  Kolapoor  ?  Those  good  men  [the 
Deputation]  have  not  faith  enough.  Why  can  they  not 
trust  God,  and  the  experience  and  conviction  of  their  breth- 
ren who  have  already  toiled  in  this  work  so  many  years  ?" 
This  large-hearted  Christian  always  gave  us  $30  a  year  for 
our  schools  in  Kolapoor,  and  when  they  were  suppressed  by 
the  Deputation,  he  kindly  offered  to  increase  his  subscrip- 
tion, if  that  would  avail,  and  even  give  $100  or  $200  at 
once  to  start  them  ao"ain. 

o 

F.  L.  Yonge,  Esq.,  another  contributor,  and  one  who  ob- 
served the  working  and  influence  of  our  schools  for  years, 
writes :  "  I  think  it  a  thousand  pities  that  your  schools 
•should  be  given  up." 

Edwin  Checkley,  Esq.,  inclosing  Rs.  50  for  our  schools  at 
Kolapoor,  writes:  "I  can  not  express  how  very  greatly  I 
sympathize  in  your  feelings  regarding  the  very  great  mis- 
take made  by  your  Deputation  in  closing  your  schools." 

Similar  letters  of  sympathy  came  to  us  from  many  Euro- 
pean friends  scattered  over  Western  India,  most  of  them  en- 
tirely unsolicited,  the  facts  in  the  case  being  known  because 
our  previous  agencies  were  known,  and  all  changes  by  the 


TKSTTMOXY   OF    EUROPEAN   FRIENDS.  281 

Deputation  were  manifest  to  nil  ai-ound  us.  Each  mission 
in  India  is  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  and  can  not  be  hid.  The 
doings  of  the  Deputation  became  known  to  the  public  press, 
and  hence  when  permission  came  from  the  Prudential  Com- 
mittee to  resume  our  schools  at  Kolapoor,  the  Bombay  Guar- 
dian of  July  o,  1856,  in  a  leading  editorial  says:  "We 
rejoice  to  learn  that  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the 
A.B.C.F.M.,  have  restored  to  the  Pev.  E.  Gr.  Wilder,  mis- 
sionary at  Kolapoor,  the  liberty  of  having  schools,  which 
was  taken  away  from  him  on  occasion  of  the  visit  of  the 
Deputation  to  this  country.  This  gives  us  pleasure  quite  in- 
dependent of  any  opinion  we  may  entertain  as  to  the  value 
of  schools  to  a  mission.  We  think  that  a  missionary,  about 
whose  fitness  to  be  a  missionary  there  can  be  no  question, 
should  be  allowed  to  adopt  such  modes  of  labor  as  he  con- 
scientiously, and  after  due  experience,  believes  to  be  the  best 
for  him  in  his  circumstances.  It  is  certain  that  if  he  be  hin- 
dp.red  from  laboring  in  the  way  that  he  regards  as  the  most 
suitable,  if  there  be  no  margin  left  for  his  own  convictions, 
and  the  teachings  of  his  own  experience,  he  will  occup}^  a 
position  unbecoming  a  missionary  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
If  the  aim  be  to  degrade  the  calling  of  the  missionary,  and 
reduce  him  to  the  standing  of  a  mere  agent  of  a  missionary 
Board,  then  let  him  be  subjected  to  a  code  of  rules  and 
regulations  ;  let  him  be  told,  not  merely  what  he  is  to  do, 
but  in  what  mode  he  is  to  do  it. 

"  But  the  true  idea  of  a  missionary  is,  that  he  is  one 
whom  the  Head  of  the  Church  hath  called,  qualified,  and 
sent  forth  ;  and  so  long  as  he  is  viewed  as  a  missionary,  his 
convictions  of  duty  must  be  respected."  As  to  the  best 
agencies:  "Who  is  fittest  to  decide  ?  He  that  is  acquainted 
with  his  field  by  personal  labors  performed  in  it  for  years, 
acquainted  with  the  character  and  customs  of  those  among 
whom  his  lot  is  cast,  informed  by  experience  of  the  par- 
ticular difficulties  he  has  to  encounter,  he  or  the  Secretary 
of  the  Society,  who  may  indeed,  pay  a  flying  visit  to  the 
foreign  field  on  Deputation,  but  whose  years  are  spent  in 
a  land  of  churches  and  Bibles?" 


282  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

"  What  made  the  prohibition  laid  on  Mr.  Wilder  the 
more  surprising  was,  that  he  asked  no  allowance  from  the 
funds  of  the  Board  for  his  schools,  but  was  prepared  to 
carry  them  on  by  the  aid  of  Christians  in  this  country,  who 
approve  of  this  mode  of  evangelistic  labor." 

J.  T.  Molesworth  Esq.,  author  of  our  invaluable  dictiona- 
ries of  the  Mahratta  language,  a  profound  scholar  and  emi- 
nent Christian,  expressing  his  grief  for  the  loss  of  these 
schools,  writes :  "I  am  distressed  beyond  measure  that 
good  men  should  have  been  left  to  make  such  mistakes." 
And  again :  "I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  in  the  last 
Bombay  Guardian,  that  permission  has  been  granted,  (alas! 
that  man  should  be  found  audacious  enough  to  refuse  per- 
mission,) for  the  restoration  of  j'our  Kolapoor  vernacular 
schools."  "  To  restore  things  not  merely  abandoned  but  ab- 
jured, is  difficult;  but  you  will  do  your  best,  and  He  to 
whom  voiver  belongeth,  (Ps.  62  :  11,)  will  pros]3er  you.  I 
have  much  pleasure  in  sending  you  Es.  100  to  help  you  at 
the  outset." 

The  Oriental  Christian  Spectator,  an  able  periodical  pub- 
lished at  Bombay,  says,  June,  1857:  "Mr.  Wilder  has 
proved  a  most  faithful  and  able  missionary  while  in  the 
midst  of  us.  He  was  for  several  years  stationed  at  Ah- 
mednuggur  in  the  Deccan.  Of  the  Kolapoor  Mission,  the 
latest  report  of  which  we  insert  in  this  number  of  our 
periodical,  he  has  been  the  father  and  founder,  laying,  by 
wise  educational  and  other  evangelistic  measures,  a  good 
foundation  for  the  time  to  come,  and  on  which  we  trust, 
he  will  in  afteV'years  be  spared  to  huildr 

•'  And  this  will  we  do,  if  God  permit."  (Heb,  6:3.) 


CHAPTER    VII. 

CHARACTER  AND   RESULTS  OF  MISSION  SCHOOLS   IN   OUR 
CEYLON   MISSION. 

Ceylon,  the  ancient  Taprobane,  is  an  island  at  tlie  soutli- 
ern  extremity  of  India,  some  800  miles  long  by  170  wide. 
Its  population  in  1831  was  950,917,  of  whom  20,656  were 
slaves.  The  Cingalese  are  most  numerous,  especially  in  tho 
interior  and  southern  portions  of  the  island,  while  in  the 
northern  and  eastern  portions  the  Tamil  race  prevails. 

The  natural  resources  of  the  island  are  abundant,  and  it 
furnished  a  very  extensive  commerce  to  the  nations  of  West- 
ern Asia  as  early  as  the  sixth  century.  It  was  lost  sight 
of  during  the  dark  ages,  but  the  Portuguese  discovered  it  in 
1505,  and  for  a  century  gradually  increased  their  possessions 
upon  it,  and  were  then  supplanted,  in  the  first  half  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  by  the  Dutch.  The  first  aggression 
of  the  English  on  this  island  dates  from  1782,  and  in  four- 
teen years  they  entirely  supplanted  the  Dutch.  In  1803 
they  came  in  conflict  with  the  native  government,  and  as 
early  as  1815  gained  possession  of  the  whole  island. 

During  the  successive  reigns  of  the  Portuguese  and  the 
Dutch,  the  Roman  and  Protestant  religions  had  been  intro- 
duced and  propagated  by  the  influence  and  power  of  the 
state,  but  the  British  treaty  provided  that  the  old  religious 
rites  and  superstitions  of  the  natives  should  be  inviolably 
protected  and  maintained  by  the  government,  and  hence 
Christianity,  both  Roman  and  Protestant,  soon  became  al- 
most extinct. 


284  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Feb.  24tli,  1813,  there  embarked  a  lone  stranger  from  the 
Isle  of  France,  and  directed  his  course  to  Ceylon.  He  was 
a  man  of  affliction.  His  earthly  hopes  had  been  dashed, 
and  he  had  drained  the  cup  of  sorrow  to  its  dregs.  But  on 
his  thoughtful  countenance  there  was  stamped  a  purpose  in 
unison  with  that  of  Him  who  came  from  heaven  to  earth  to 
die  for  man,  and  in  his  eye  there  shone  the  light  and  glow 
of  a  holy  enthusiasm.  He  was  a  voluntary  exile  from  this, 
his  native  land,  and  the  Governor-General  of  India  had 
made  him  a  forced  exile  from  the  territory  of  the  Hon. 
East-India  Companj^  That  cruel  order  of  the  Governor, 
which  drove  him  from  Calcutta,  by  the  discomforts  of  a 
hasty  and  untimely  voj^age,  consigned  his  beloved  wife  and 
child  to  their  martyr-graves;  and  now,  having  deposited 
their  precious  dust  with  manj^  tears  on  that  lone  isle  of  the 
ocean,  Samuel  [N'ewell  turned  back  to  seek  his  companions 
in  toil  and  persecution,  and  soon  landed  at  Colombo.  He 
did  not  find  his  associates  in  Ceylon.  Hall  and  ]STott  were 
at  Bomba}^,  prosecuting  that  noble  struggle  which,  with 
God's  blessing,  ended  in  breaking  up  the  exclusive  policy 
of  the  East-India  Company,  and  letting  in  the  light  of  God's 
truth  upon  the  degraded  millions  of  India. 

Newell  remained,  teaching  and  preaching  Christ,  some 
ten  months  at  Colombo,  and  then  joined  his  brethren  at 
Bombay.  But  this  event  was  the  starting-point  of  the  Cey- 
lon mission  of  the  A.B.C.F.M.  The  representations  of  New- 
ell to  the  American  Board  availed,  and  Messrs.  Warren, 
Kichards,  Meigs,  and  Poor  were  sent  out  to  establish  a  mis- 
sion in  Ceylon,  They  reached  the  island  March  22,  1816, 
and  established  themselves  in  the  district  of  Jaffna  early  the 
following  October.  This  district,  some  40  miles  long,  by 
15  broad,  consists  of  a  cluster  of  islands  at  the  northern 
extremity  of  Ceylon,  with  a  population  of  147,671,  mostly 
of  the  Tamil  race.  Sharing  the  favor  of  the  British  govern- 
ment under  the  influence  of  Governor  Brownrigg,  the  com- 
mencement of  their  mission  was  auspicious. 


FIRST   REV.TVAL   IN   THE   SCHOOLS.  285 

Chief    Interest    centres    in    the    Schools. 

Among  the  earliest  notices  of  their  labors  we  read  of 
''ten  or  twelve  boys"  who  became  pupils,  "and  began  to 
learn  the  English  alphabet."  "  p]arly  in  December  teachers 
were  engaged  to  open  schools  under  the  superintendence  of 
the  mission^iries."  In  1817  the  progress  and  brightening 
hopes  of  the  mission  are  found  to  centre  in  their  schools. 
"In  October  the  weekl}''  meeting  with  the  school -masters 
and  others,  for  prayer  and  personal  conversation  on  religion, 
was  commenced,"  and  a  hoarding -school  opened,  "  with  ten 
or  twelve  of  their  most  promising  boys." 

The  first  notice  of  a  hopeful  conversion  is  recorded  of  one 
of  these  pupils.  "  He  appeared  deeply  interested  in  divine 
truth,  and  in  a  short  time  declared  his  belief  in  Christianitj^, 
and  his  desire  to  embrace  it  publicly,  at  any  sacrifice." 

The  missionaries  became  so  deeply  impressed  with  the 
value  of  these  schools  that  the  progress  and  enlargement  of 
the  mission  is  uniformly  marked  by  their  increase. 

In  1818  Mr.  Poor  had  eight  free  schools  under  his  care, 
with  four  hundred  pupils,  and  a  boarding-school  of  twenty- 
four.  "  Mr.  Meigs  had  five  schools,  and  was  about  to  open 
two  more."  Their  Sabbath  audiences  were  composed  of  the 
pupils,  with  such  of  their  parents  and  friends  as  the  presence 
of  the  children  induced  to  come. 

In  1819,  though  the  mission  was  weakened  by  the  failure 
of  health,  "still,  the  schools  were  carried  on  and  enlarged. 
There  w^ere  fifteen  free  schools,  with  seven  hundred  schol- 
ars." "  There  was  also  a  boarding-school  at  each  station," 
with  "  forty-eight  boys  and  girls."  The  "  good  influence" 
of  these  schools  "  was  manifest,  and  the  mission  entreated 
for  funds  for  the  extension  of  the  system." 

First  Kevival  in  the  Schools. 

This  year  witnessed  the  first  revival  in  that  favored  mis- 
sion, and  it  seems  to  have  been  confined  entirely  to  the 
schools.  Its  first  converts  were  Gabriel  Tissera  and  Nicho- 
las   Permander,  two  hecdhen  teachers,  who  had  been  taken 


2 86  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

into  service  at  the  commencement  of  the  mission.  '  There 
were  some  who  gave  evidence  of  piety  at  each  of  the  stations, 
and  several  of  the  boys  in  the  schools  were  subjects  of  spe- 
cial seriousness."  The  mission  was  reinforced  at  the  close 
of  this  year  by  Messrs.  Winslow,  Spaulding,  Woodward, 
and  Scudder. 

In  1820  "pecuniary  embarrassments  crippled  the  mis- 
sion," and  the  British  government  interdicted  any  further 
reinforcements.  Still,  "the  number  of  boarding  scholars 
was  enlarged,  and  several  new  free  schools  were  opened," 
and  "  the  convicting  and  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  were  manifestly  present." 

In  1821  "  the  want  of  funds  was  severely  felt,  and  several 
of  the  free  schools  were  discontinued  for  a  time."  But  the 
record  of  the  year  gives  four  boarding-schools,  with  72  boys 
and  15  girls,  and  twenty-four  free  schools  with  1117  boys 
and  36  girls.  The  strong  prejudice  and  opposition  of  the 
heathen  had  broken  up  one  of  the  girls'  schools,  and  the 
missionaries  say :  "It  was  doing  much,  therefore,  to  have 
51  girls  in  school." 

Second  Bevival. 

This  year  the  mission  enjoyed  its  second  precious  revival. 
"  On  the  22d  of  April,  two  boys  from  the  boarding-school 
at  Tillipally  were  received  as  members  of  the  Church." 
"  On  the  last  evening  in  June  four  girls  came  to  Mr.  Poor, 
in  distress  on  account  of  their  sinfulness,  and  anxious  to 
know  what  they  must  do  to  be  saved."  Scarcely  had  they 
left  when  Nicholas  came  to  ask  how  he  should  converse 
with  those  who  were  anxious  about  their  souls.  Among 
the  pupils  the  seriousness  increased,  and  at  an  inquiry-meet- 
ing soon  after,  twenty  or  thirty  were  present,  and  several 
expressed  hopes  in  Christ.  "  On  the  evening  of  the  23d, 
(July,)  seven  girls  came,  with  earnest  inquiries  after  the  way 
of  salvation.  Early  in  August  four  were  added  to  the 
Church;"  and  in  December  a  servant  and  two  boarding- 
girls  were  received  into  the  Church.  Three  of  the  first 
converts,  who  had  been  brought  under  saving  influences  b}^ 


BATTICOTTA   AND   OODOOVILLE   SEMINARIES.  287 

being  employed  as  teachers,  were  licensed  to  preach  the 
Gospel. 

In  1822  the  special  utility  of  the  schools  appears  in  the 
active  efforts  of  the  pupils,  both  boys  and  girls,  to  make 
known  the  truth  to  their  parents  and  neighbors.  The  same 
appears  in  the  first  Christian  marriage.  This  took  place  be- 
tween two  pupils,  Daniel  Smead  and  Miranda  Safford,  and 
the  parties  being  of  different  castes,  (the  Yellale  and  Chanda,) 
it  furnished  a  severe  test  of  the  influence  of  the  schools,  and 
of  their  value  in  the  estimation  of  the  natives.  "  The  hea- 
then thought  that  the  new  religion  was  indeed  fitted  to  turn 
the  world  upside  down,"  but  "  the  immediate  effect  on  the 
cause  of  female  education  was  decidedly  favorable." 

Origin  of  the  Batticotta  and  Oodooville  Seminaries. 

In  1823  the  progress  of  the  mission  is  still  marked  by 
"an  increase  of  the  number  of  schools  and  pupils."  The 
missionaries  became  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  value  of 
educational  agencies  that  they  resolved  to  establish  a  "mis- 
sion college."     "  The  immediate  objects  proposed  were : 

"  1.  To  impart  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  English  lan- 
guagn,  as  the  only  way  to  unlock  the  treasures  which  that 
language  contains. 

"2.  The  cultivation  of  Tamil  literature,  which  is  neces- 
sary in  order  to  oppose  idolatry  successfully,  and  in  order 
to  raise  up  a  reading  population. 

"3.  The  study  of  Sanscrit  by  a  select  few,  from  among 
those  who  may  be  designed  for  native  preachers. 

"4.  To  teach  Hebrew,  and  in  some  cases,  Latin  and 
Greek,  to  those  native  preachers  who  may  be  employed  as 
translators  of  the  Scriptures. 

"5.  To  teach,  as  far  as  the  circumstances  of  the  country 
require,  the  sciences  usually  studied  in  the  Colleges  of 
Europe  and  America." 

This  "  seminary  was  put  into  operation  as  a  central  school, 
at  Batticotta,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Poor,  on  the  22d  of 
July.    It  was  opened  with  twenty-six  scholars,  selected  from 


288  ^rissTON  schools. 

the  boardiiig-scbools."  Tliis  number  soon  increased  to 
forty-seven. 

"A  central  school  for  girls  was  opened  at  Oodooville, 
n  rider  the  care  of  Mrs.  Winslow."  It  commenced  with 
twenty -two  girls,  and  soon  had  twenty-nine. 

Thus  each  year  and  each  revival  increased  the  convictions 
of  the  missionaries  as  to  the  value  of  these  schools,  and 
therefore  they  enlarged  and  improved  them. 

Third  Revival  in  the   Schools. 

1824. — This  year  a  third  and  more  powerful  revival  in 
these  schools  attests  the  marked  approval  and  special  bless- 
ing of  God  upon  them.  We  find  they  had  fifty  free  schools, 
with  some  two  thousand  pupils,  and  two  hundred  boarding 
scholars. 

The  revival  commenced  in  the  boarding-school  at  Tilli- 
pally,  on  the  18th  of  January.  Mr.  "Woodward  first  noticed 
that  some  of  the  boys  were  much  affected  during  the  morn- 
ing service.  He  appointed  other  meetings,  and  the  next 
day  sent  for  Mr.  Winslow.  He  came,  "  and  found  seven  or 
eight  of  the  boys  manifesting  much  anxious  concern  for 
their  spiritual  welfare,  and  others  more  or  less  serious. 
Most  of  them  belonged  to  the  hoarding -schooV  "  The  S|)irit 
of  God  seemed  evidently  present." 

"  The  disposition  to  serious  and  anxious  inquiry  contin- 
ued to  increase  till  all  the  members  of  the  school,  (about 
forty  in  number,)  the  domestics  of  the  family,  and  two  or 
three  heathen  schoolma^sters  were  among  the  inquirers.  The 
result  was,  that  most  of  the  older  boys,  and  two  girls,  gave 
pleasing  evidence  of  a  change  of  character." 

The  very  next  Sabbath  a  like  blessing  came  down  upon 
the  girls'  boarding-school  at  Oodooville.  While  Mr.  Wins- 
low  was  addressing  them,  "  some  were  much  affected,  and 
tears  began  to  flow  from  those  unused  to  weep." 

Other  meetings  followed ;  deep  convictions  took  hold  upon 
the  hearts  of  the  pupils,  "  and  the  Lord  graciously  caused 
the  work  to  proceed,  until  no  one  in  the  school  remained 
wholly  unaffected." 


THIRD    RKVIVAL    IX   THE   SCHOOT.FJ.  289 

The  next  development  of  the  revival  was  in  the  nioutlily 
praver-meeting  at  Batticotta,  Feb.  2d.  "  We  had  seareely 
assembled  in  the  afternoon  and  sung  a  liymn,  when  the  Holy 
Spirit  seemed  to  iill  all  the  plaee  where  we  were  together. 
The  brother  who  was  leading  in  prayer  was  so  much  over- 
whelmed with  a  sense  of  the  Divine  presence,  that  he  could 
scarcely  proceed.  The  same  influence  was  felt  by  all,  and 
the  afternoon  was  spent  in  praver,  interruj^ted  only  by  a 
tew  })assnges  read  from  the  Scriptures,  and  by  singnig  and 
weeping." 

"  The  next  Sabbath,"  a  precious  season  was  enjoyed  at 
Manepy.  "  When,  in  the  afternoon,  the  children  and  youth 
of  the  boarding-schools  of  that  and  the  other  stations  came 
together,  an  atfecting  scene  was  exhibited.  Alany  were  in 
tears.  AEore  than  thii'ty  expressed  a  desire  to  forsake  all  for 
Christ.  The  Lord  carried  on  the  w^ork,  till,  in  a  school  con- 
sisting of  about  forty-five  boys,  many  of  whom  were  young, 
nearly  half  projessed  themselves  to  be  the  Lord's." 

A  still  more  special  blessing  was  enjoyed  at  Panditeripo, 
commencing  February  12th.  ''  After  the  boys  had  gone  to 
their  room,  and  w^ere  about  to  lie  down  to  sleep,  Whelpley, 
(a  native  member  of  the  church,)  was  induced  to  exhort  them 
most  earnestly  to  flee  from  the  w^rath  to  come.  .  They  were 
roused  and  could  not  sleep.  By  little  companies  they  went 
out  into  the  garden  to  pray,  and  the  voice  of  supplication 
was  soon  heard  in  every  quarter.  It  waxed  louder  and 
louder,  each  one,  or  each  company,  praying  and  weeping  as 
though  all  were  alone.  More  than  thirty  w^ere  thus  engaged 
in  a  small  garden.  The  cry  was,  'What  shall  I  do  to  be 
saved ?'  and  ' Lord,  send  thy  spirit.'"  " The  next  day  they 
seemed  to  be  earnestly  seeking  for  the  salvation  of  their 
souls.  More  than  twenty,  at  that  place,  indulged  the  hope 
that  they  had  obtained  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins." 

In  the  farther  progress  of  the  work  in  the  seminary  at 
Batticotta,  it  is  stated  that  "about  ten  of  thej^ouths  expressed 
a  determination  to  forsake  all  for  Christ,  and  scarcely  one  in 
the  school  was  altogether  nnmoved."  "  Of  the  subjects  of 
this  revival,  .  .  in  all  sixty-nine,  were  thought,  in  March, 
13 


2^  MISSION   SCHOOLS, 

to  give  some  evidence  of  a  cliange  of  heart.  The  special  in- 
terest continaed  through  the  summer.  At  times,  nearly  ail 
the  members  of  the  boarding-schools,  and  many  others, 
avowed  more  or  less  anxiety  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls  ; 
but  it  was  almost  wholly  confined  to  those  whose  long  ac- 
quaintance with  the  mission,  either  as  pupils^  as  teachers^  or 
servants  in  their  employment,  or  as  neighbors,  had  given 
them  some  knowledge  of  Christian  truth." 

Fourth  Revival  in  the  Schools. 

In  October  of  this  year,  the  mission  enjoyed  another  gra- 
cious visitation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  youth  gathered 
in  their  schools.  Mr.  Winslow  writes  :  "  The  year  closed, 
as  it  began,  with  a  revival.  The  last  two  months  have  been 
a  time  of  silent,  but  we  trust,,  effectual  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  many  hearts."  After  mentioning  some  special 
cases  of  conversion  among  the  2'^upils^  he  adds:  "Many  of 
the  \heatheii]  school-masters  also,  at  the  different  stations,  are 
more  or  less  serious,  and  eight  or  ten  may  be  said  to  appear 
well.  Of  the  lads  in  the  central  school,  and  the  children  in 
the  boarding-schools,  several  have  of  late  hopefully  passed 
from  death  unto  life." 

What  more  positive  testimony  is  possible  to  the  value  of 
these  schools  than  is  furnished  in  the  history  of  these  re- 
vivals ?  Is  it  possible  for  God  to  give  the  seal  of  his  ap- 
proval and  blessing  to  such  schools  more  unequivocally  than 
he  has  here  done?  Who  can  wonder  that  the  missionaries 
came  to  value  these  schools  as  the  ris^ht  arm  of  their  streng:th? 
Who  can  wonder  that  the  old  missionaries,  who  knew  their 
history,  and  had  witnessed  these  showers  of  God's  grace  and 
mercy  upon  them,  clung  to  them  till  they  were  suppressed 
by  the  Deputation,  and  then  mourned  over  their  ruins  with 
many  tears,  and  bitter  and  touching  lamentations  ? 

The  year  1825  "opened  joyfully."     "59  free  schools  con 
tained  2414  boys  and  255  girls,  taught  by  58  masters ;  and 
in  the  boarding-schools  were  126  boys  and  31  girls,  making 
in  all,  2824  pupils  from  among  the  heathen.     Several  of  the 
teachers  had  become  pious,  [all  were  heathen  teachers  at  first. 


FOURTH   REVIVAL  IN  THE   SCIIOOtS.  291 

and  most  were  still  heathen^']  and  witli  tlie  more  advanced 
scholars,  assisted  greatly  in  the  missionary  work.  The  cen- 
tral school  at  Batticotta,  which  was  intended  as  the  germ  of  a 
college,  was  highly  useful,  and  received  the  decided  appro- 
bation of  statesmen  and  divines  in  dijBferent  parts  of  India ; 
insomuch  that  about  $1800  was  subscribed  for  it  in  Calcutta, 
and  considerable  sums  at  Madras  and  in  Ceylon." 

The  fruits  of  the  precious  revivals  in  the  schools  during 
1824,  were  gathered  into  the  Church  in  larger  numbers  this 
year.  On  the  20th  of  January,  forty-one  were  received  into 
the  Church,  in  the  presence  of  some  tvv^elve  hundred  to  fifteen 
hundred  people.  Of  these  forty-one  converts  the  mission- 
aries say:  ^^  Thirty -six  belonged  to  our  charity  boarding-schools, 
and  five  were  from  among  the  people."  "  Eight  more  were 
admitted  to  the  Church"  on  the  21st  of  July. 

The  second  revival  of  1824  continued  with  mucli  sjjecial 
interest  through  1825,  and  is  spoken  of  by  the  missionaries 
as  the  fourth  revival  in  their  schools.  Near  the  close  of  this 
year,  December  20,  Dr.  Scudder  Avrites  :  "  There  was  scarce 
a  careless  boy  in  the  school  at  Batticotta.  Dwight  and  Niles, 
two  members  of  that  school,  came  to  Tillipally,  and  exhorted 
and  prayed  with  the  pupils  there,  and  a  few  days  afterwards 
eighteen  of  the  boys  were  found  to  be  seriously  attentive 
to  religion." 

.  In  1826,  we  find  both  the  missionaries  and  the  officers  of 
the  Board  regretting  that  the  British  government  would 
allow  no  more  American  missionaries  to  settle  in  Ceylon, 
and  no  college  unless  under  British  instructors.  "  This  de- 
cision, however,  did  not  defeat  the  main  object  of  the  under- 
taking. It  was  still  possible  to  sustain  a  school  of  a  very 
high  order,  which  should  give  an  education  nearly  or  quite 
equal  to  a  collegiate  course.  Encouraged  by  liberal  subcrip- 
tions  in  India,  and  by  favorable  opinions  both  there  and  in 
America,  the  brethren  erected  buildings  "  and  persevered  in 
their  general  purpose.  The  Batticotta  Seminary,  as  it  was 
called,  had  fifty-three  students,  of  whom  twenty-two  were 
members  of  the  church,  "and  its  influence  was  highly  grati- 
fying."     Eighteen  more  students  were  received   into  the 


292  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

sominary  from  the  preparatory  schools,  and  tlie  value  of  the 
schools  and  then-  influence  in  conciliating  the  good  will  of 
the  people,  are  attested  by  the  fact  that  there  were  two  or 
three  times  as  many  candidates  for  vacancies,  as  the  mission- 
aries could  receive. 

1827  "  was  a  year  of  quiet  and  silent  progress."  "  There 
were  93  free  schools,  containing  3378  boys  and  942  girls." 
The  seminary  had  67  students,  of  whom  24  were  church 
members,  and  the  whole  number  of  pupils  under  instruction 
was  4500. 

In  1828  "  from  want  of  funds  it  was  found  necessary  to 
give  up  a  few  of  the  free  schools,  several  of  which  were 
transferred  to  the"  Church  Missionary  Society.  A  class  of 
15  left  the  seminary,  having  completed  their  course  of  study, 
and  a  class  of  29  entered  the  preparatory  school,  selected 
from  not  less  than  200  applicants,  whose  claims  were 
clamorously  urged  by  their  relatives  and  friends.  What  a 
change  since  the  time  when  it  was  difficult  to  procure  a 
single  pupil ! 

In  1829  "  the  system  of  schools  was  steadily  accomplishing 
its  work,  laying  broad  and  deep  the  foundations  of  future 
success.  Tlie  whole  number  under  instruction  was  3436. 
Their  improved  system  of  education  was  attracting  the  at- 
tention of  all  orders  of  men.  The  seminary,  especially,  was 
made  to  bear  powerfully  on  the  question  whether  the  Brah- 
manical  religion  is  true."  This  it  did  by  teaching  the  facts 
of  true  science,  geography,  astronomy,  etc.  A  celebrated 
Hindu  astronomer,  Yesuvenather,  calculated  an  eclipse  of 
the  moon  by  his  Hindu  tables.  He  differed  from  the  calcu- 
lation of  the  missionaries  fifteen  minutes  in  the  time  of  its 
commencement,  two  eighths  of  the  moon's  disk  in  extent, 
and  twenty-four  minutes  in  its  duration.  The  minds  of  the 
natives  were  excited,  and  many  predicted  a  great  triumph 
for  Hinduism.  The  eclipse  came,  and  verified  the  calcula- 
tion of  the  missionaries — a  heavy  blow  to  the  claims  of  the 
Brahmans,  and  an  equal  triumph  in  favor  of  the  mission- 
aries. 


SIXTH    riEVIVAL   IX   THE   SCHOOLS.  293 


Fifth  Revival  in  the  Schools. 

In  1830  (October)  commenced  X\\q  fifth  revival  in  the  mis- 
sion schools,  and  it  "  increased  in  power  and  interest  to  the 
end  of  the  year.  Xearly  all  the  students  in  the  mLssion 
seminary  were  more  or  less  awakened ;  evident  tokens  of 
the  Divine  presence  were  seen  in  the  boarding-schools  at  all 
the  stations,  and  many  of  the  {Jteathen]  teachers  and  super- 
intendents of  free  schools  received  deep  religious  impres- 
sions." 

1831. — The  revival  in  the  schools  continued  into  this  year, 
and  63  were  received  into  the  Church  as  the  fruits  of  it. 
The  170  native  members  were  now  divided  into  five 
churches — one  at  each  station.  Of  the  93  teachers  of  free 
schools,  some  30  had  become  members  of  the  Church,  and 
two  of  the  early  converts  were  licensed  to  preach.  If  any 
doubt  the  propriety  of  employing  '•'heathen  teachers'^  let  them 
mark  the  result  in  this  mission. 

1832  was  a  '" <jood  year!'  The  schools  prospered;  27  per- 
sons were  received  to  church  fellowship,  and  the  Governor 
gave  leave  for  additional  missionaries  from  America. 

In  1833  the  permission  of  the  British  Government  was 
gladly  welcomed  by  the  Board,  and  a  reinforcement  of  five 
missionaries,  Messrs.  Todd,  Ilutchings,  Hoisington,  Apthorjj, 
and  Ward,  with  their  wives,  were  sent  to  Ceylon, 

Sixth  Revival  in  the  Schools. 

In  183-i  two  new  stations  were  established.  "  The  whole 
number  of  children  and  youth  under  instruction,  including 
12i  in  the  seminary,  was  5367."  '"But  the  great  event  of 
the  year  was  the  commencement  of  another  revival ''  in  the 
mission  schools.  It  commenced  at  Batticotta,  and  ''  soon 
spread  to  all  the  stations." 

1835. — The  chief  power  and  results  of  this  revival  were 
developed  this  year.  "  Every  member  of  the  seminary  ap- 
peared to  be  deeply  impressed  with  the  truth  and  impor- 
tance of  vital  piety,  and  a  considerable  number  appeared  to 
become  trulv  penitent."     In  March,  fifteen  students  of  the 


294  .  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

seminary  and  two  others  were  received  to  the  church,  and 
there  were  some  twelve  other  candidates.  The  work  soon 
spread  to  the  girls'  boarding-school  at  Oodooville,  and 
proved  "  remarkahly  rapid  and  powerful,  indicating  that  its 
subjects  had  very  clear  views  of  their  duty,  before  they 
were  thus  awakened  to  perform  it."  "  Eleven  girls  of  the 
boarding-school,  and  two  others,  were  received  into  the 
Church  in  March/'  and  there  were  more  candidates. 

At  Tillipally,  "in  a  short  time  20  gave  evidence  of  a 
change  of  heart,  and  13  were  added  to  the  church."  "  The 
whole  number  added  to  the  church  in  March  was  51,  of 
whom  48  were  received  at  one  meeting  at  Batticotta.  The 
admissions  during  the  year  were  76." 

Seventh  Revival  in  the  Schools. 

A  seventh  revival  commenced  in  the  Batticotta  Seminary, 
in  November  of  this  year,  in  which  "  eighty -five  professed 
their  resolution  to  follow  Christ."  At  the  same  time  a  pre- 
cious blessing  came  down  upon  the  Oodooville  school,  and 
several  of  the  girls  were  converted. 

The  special  value  of  these  schools  appears  very  distinctly 
in  these  wsuccessive  revivals.  In  no  other  conceivable  way 
could  such  masses  of  heathen  minds  have  been  brouolit 
under  stated  teaching  in  the  very  focus  of  Christian  truth, 
and  impregnated  with  it,  so  as  to  have  become  prepared  for 
the  descent  of  the  Spirit  and  his  gracious  operations  in  their 
rapid  conviction  and  conversion.  So  long  as  human  agen- 
cies are  owned  and  blessed  of  God,  we  can  not  fail  to  ap- 
prove the  wisdom  which  devised  and  sustained  these  mis- 
sion schools.     The  seal  of  God's  own  blessing  is  upon  them. 

Eighth  Revival   in   the   Schools. 

In  1836,  another  precious  revival  marks  the  favor  and 
blessing  of  God  upon  the  schools  of  this  mission.  It  com- 
menced in  the  girls'  boarding-school  at  Oodoovillo.  With 
no  previous  indications  of  the  Spirit's  presence,  the  mission- 
ary vfas  aroused  from  his  sleep  at  night  hj  the  voice  of 


EIGHTH    REVIVAL    IN   THE   SCHOOLS.  295 

some  one  in  distress,  and  on  going  to  the  verandah,  found 
it  to  be  "  the  voice  of  prayer  and  weeping."  In  a  few  mo- 
ineiits  one  of  the  girls  came,  saying  :  "  We  want  some  one 
to  come  and  talk  and  pray  with  us."  The  voice  of  weeping, 
prayer,  and  singing  did  not  cease  till  one  or  two  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  and  some  had  little  or  no  sleep  during  the 
night.  Special  meetings  continued  for  days,  and  at  the 
close  of  one  of  them,  "  wlien  the  last  girl  prayed  it  seemed 
that  it  w^as  not  her  prayer,  but  the  prayer  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  as  if  some  other  person  was  speaking."  The  mis- 
sionary writes :  "  More  deep  feeling  and  fervent  wrestling 
prayer,  I  never  witnessed.  The  last  thing  I  heard  at  night, 
and  the  lirst  in  the  morning,  was  the  voice  of  prayer  and 
})raise." 

One  of  the  pupils  speaking  of  the  revival  and  of  that  par- 
ticular pra3^er,  writes :  "  Her  prayer  w^as  as  when  a  miserable 
beggar  pleads  with  a  rich  man,  or  as  when  a  child  entreats 
favor  of  a  parent,  or  as  when  a  person  agonizes  for  a  friend 
who  is  about  to  be  hung.  When  she  had  closed  her  prayer, 
some  of  us  were  exceedingly  agitated  and  were  unable  to 
speak,  for  we  saw  all  our  sins  and  defects.  Then  some  of 
us  had  a  thought,  namely,  that  we  could  not  expect  peace 
of  mind  until  we  had  called  some  of  the  older  girls  who 
did  not  seek  Jesus  Christ  with  all  their  hearts,  and  seriously 
talked  with  them.  We,  however,  concluded  that  we  must 
lirst  acknowledge  our  own  faults  and  ask  forgiveness  of 
God,  and  then  call  the  girls  and  speak  with  them.  After 
we  had  done  according  to  this  our  determination,  we  called 
up  those  who  were  asleep,  and  conversed  wdth  them.  At 
that  time  they  were  aroused  to  anxiety  about  their  souls. 
For  this  we  jDraise  the  Lord.  From  that  day  to  this  they 
lift  up  their  voice  in  prayer  to  God  day  and  night.  We  do 
not  believe  there  is  one  girl  in  the  school  who  does  not  thus 
pray." 

This  revival  extended  to  the  other  schools,  and  of  the 
thirty-nine  received  to  the  Church  this  year,  most  were  from 
the  Batticotta  Seminary. 


290  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 


Value     of    the     Schools. 

We  do  not  wonder  that  these  frequent  revivals  deeply 
impressed  tlie  minds  of  the  missionaries  with  the  value  of 
these  schools.  These  gracious  harvests  were  manifestly  the 
result  of  seed  sown  in  soil  well  prepared.  The  minds  of 
these  pupils  had  been  long  under  Christian  teaching  and  im- 
pregnated with  Christian  truth  ;  hence  when  the  rain  of 
heaven  came,  the  seed  of  the  word  sprang  up  unto  life 
eternal.  What  right  have  v/e  to  expect  such  harvests 
where  the  soil  is  not  thus  cultivated? 

Of  the  girls'  boarding-school  at  Oodooville,  the  mission- 
aries recorded  their  estimate  this  year  as  follows : 

''  God  has  in  a  singular  manner  blessed  this  school  from 
its  commencement.  Not  one  who  has  completed  a  full  course 
in  the  school  has  left  without  giving  evidence  of  decided 
piety,  a  fact  which  should  call  forth  expressions  of  grati- 
tude from  all  tlie  friends  of  missions.  The  whole  number 
of  those  who  have  completed  a  regular  course  of  study  is 
thirty;  all  of  whom  are  married  to  pious  young  men,  most 
of  whom  are  in  mission  service.  Of  the  seventy -five  who 
remain,  thirty  or  more  give  decided  evidence  of  piety.  Of 
those  who  have  left  the  school  it  should  be  remai'ked  that 
not  one  has  disgraced  her  profession.  In  several  instances 
vv'here  their  husbands  have  fallen  into  sin,  .  .  they  have 
been  the  means  in  the  hands  of  God  of  leading  them  back 
to  the  fold. 

"  This  institution  is  viewed  with  interest,  not  only  when 
in  contrast  with  the  surrounding  population,  but  in  view  of 
the  bearings  it  may  have  on  future  generations.  IlaviDg 
enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  Christian  education,  and  hav- 
ing been  brought  to  taste  the  love  of  Jesus,  they  can  but 
feel  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  their  of&pring,  as  well 
as  their  relations  and  neighbors  in  general.  A  desire  for 
the  salvation  of  their  heathen  parents  often  leads  them  to 
the  throne  of  grace,  and  often  makes  them  sad." 


rVlK  SAD  GIHI..  297 


The  Sad  Girl. 

Of  the  anxiety  of  these  educated  and  converted  children 
for  the  salvation  of  their  parents,  take  the  following  in- 
stance, which  occurred  in  this  same  revival: 

One  of  the  girls  was  asked  how  she  felt.  ITer  reply  was 
that  she  was  "sad."  "  Why?  have  you  any  difficulty  with 
the  girls?  do  they  not  behave  well?"  "Yes,  they  behave 
well."  "  Then  have  3^ou  not  joy  on  their  account  ?"  "  Yes." 
"  Why  then  are  you  sad  ?"  "  My  parents,"  she  replied,  and 
tears  choked  her  utterance.  "  She  loved  Jesus,  but  her  pa 
rents  were  idolaters.  Such  persons  need  the  praj-ers  and 
sympathies  of  the  friends  of  the  blessed  Jesus  in  our  favor- 
ed land." 

Speaking  of  their  heathen  teachers  the  missionaries  say : 
"Our  school-masters  are  generally  men  of  respectability,  and 
of  good  caste ;  the  majority  of  them  are  heathen  ;  a  large 
number,  however,  have  become  hopefully  pious." 

This  year  (18S6)  closed  with  155  free  schools,  containing 
6272  pupils,  of  whom  994  were  girls. 

The  whole  number  of  pupils  educated  in  the  free  schools 
of  the  mission  from  its  commencement,  (20  years,)  was  esti- 
mated at  15,500.  In  the  Batticotta  Seminary  were  166 
students,  A  class  of  46  being  admitted,  were  selected  from 
130  candidates,  of  whom  "at  least  50  rejected  applicants 
were  as  well  fitted  as  the  class  admitted  the  year  before ; 
showing;  that  the  desire  for  admission  was  raisinoj  the  stand- 
ard  of  education." 

Of  the  graduates  of  the  seminary  "57  were  in  the  em- 
ployment of  the  American  missions,  ten  were  employed  by 
other  missions,  and  twenty-two  were  in  the  service  of  gov- 
ernment." 

The  whole  number  Vvdiich  had  graduated  u^^  to  this  time, 
or  left  without  completing  the  full  course,  was  147. 

"  To  show  the  Christian  influence  of  the  seminary  on  lads 
ond  youth  who  when  they  entered  were  nearly  all  heathen, 
it  ma}'  be  mentioned  that  of  those  who  have  left  (147)  81 
had  made  a  public  profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ,  and 


298  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

been  received  to  the  Cliurcli  before  leaving.  Most  of  them 
have  continued  to  conduct^ themselves  in  a  manner  consist- 
ent with  their  profession." 

Which  of  our  American  colleges  has  shared  a  larger 
blessing  than  this  ?  Of  which  of  them  can  we  find  a  larger 
proportion  of  graduates  turning  away  from  secular  pursuits 
and  entering  upon  the  special  service  of  Christ  ?  Ought  not 
such  institutions  on  heathen  ground  to  be  generously  sup- 
ported, and  become  embalmed  in  the  affection,  sympathy, 
and  prayers  of  the  people  of  God  ? 

Winth  Revival  in  the  Schools. 

1837. — The  previous  year  had  closed  with  marked  reli- 
gious interest  in  the  schools.  Of  a  day  of  fasting  and  pray- 
er the  missionary  writes :  "It  has  been  an  uncommonly 
interesting  season  in  the  seminary.  There  are  indications 
that  the  Lord  is  with  us  indeed.  May  his  presence  be  glo- 
riously manifest." 

Of  the  monthly  prayer-meeting  he  says  :  "I  was  still 
more  encouraged,  and  could  not  but  feel  that  the  Lord  was 
at  hand."  '■  There  are  several  who  declare  themselves 
ready  to  live  for  God  and  Christ.  Some  we  have  good 
reason  to  believe  are  converted.  To  God  be  all  the  glory." 
"  We  do  not  doubt  but  that  the  judgment-day  will  disclose 
much  fruit  to  the  praise  of  God's  abounding  grace." 

But  the  special  revival  of  this  year  occurred  in  May  and 
June,  and  as  heretofore,  its  special  fruits  appeared  in  the 
schools.  In  the  Batticotta  seminary  were  "  twelve  or  fif- 
teen" hopefal  conversions,  and  "  at  Oodooville,  sixteen  were 
afterwards  admitted  to  the  Church,  as  the  fruits  of  this 
gracious  visitation."  The  whole  number  received  during 
the  year  was  46. 

Notice  of  Magee,  a  converted  Pupil. 

This  brief  notice  of  one  of  the  converts,  was  prepared  by 
a  school-mate  in  the  seminary,  and  its  correctness  attested 
by  the  missionaries.     It  is  given  here,  not  for  any  thing  re- 


NOTICE   OF   MAGEE,  A   CONVERTET)   PUPIL.  299 

markable  in  itself,  but  to  illustrate  the  readiness  with  which 
the  minds  of  the  pupils  came  under  the  influence  of  Christ- 
ian truth,  and  their  fideUty  in  making  it  known  to  their 
parents  and  friends. 

"  Before  Magee  entered  the  seminar}^  he  was  an  opposer 
of  Christ  and  his  religion.  He  entered  the  seminary  in 
October,  1835.  His  mind  was  soon  changed,  so  that  dur- 
ing his  first  vacation,  he  talked  with  his  parents,  and  told 
them  :  '  The  gods  whom  we  have  worshipped  to  this  time 
are  false,  and  it  is  dangerous  to  believe  in  them.'  He 
spake  many  words  against  the  religion  of  his  parents.  '  If 
you,'  he  added,  '  continue  in  this  state,  you  can  not  get  to 
heaven,  but  must  go  to  hell.'  To  prove  this  he  read  a  por- 
tion of  Scripture,  raid  then  entreated  them,  saying  :  '  Believe 
Christ ;  follow  him.  If  you  do  so,  you  may  enjoy  heaven.' 
His  parents  replied  :  '  Son,  it  is  not  lawful  for  you  to  revile 
our  gods,  whom,  till  this  time,  we  have  worshipped  and  be- 
lieve.' Magee  declared  his  purpose  to  believe  in  Christ,  and 
to  join  the  Cliristian  Church.  At  this  time  his  father  was 
displeased  and  forbid  him  doing  it  for  the  present,  saying : 
'  If  you  leave  the  worship  of  Siva,  and  embrace  this  new 
religion,  our  relations  will  forsake  us,  and  the  people  will 
mock  us.  If  you  wish  to  become  a  Christian,  you  may  do 
it  after  5^ou  have  left  the  seminary  and  become  older.  You 
are  a  little  boy,  you  need  not  join  the  Church  now,'  etc. 
"With  these  things  in  mind,  Magee  returned  to  the  semi- 
nary, having  no  further  argument  with  his  father.  He 
soon  after  joined  the  Church,  of  which  he  informed  his  fa- 
ther by  a  letter.  The  father  read  the  letter,  and  reported 
the  same  to  his  mother.  The  next  vacation  Magee  feared 
to  go  home,  and  took  refuge  with  a  school-master  near  by. 
The  master  took  him  to  his  father's  house.  His  parents 
would  not  at  first  speak  to  him,  and  exhibited  strong  marks 
of  displeasure.  Soon  the  boy's  uncle  came  in  with  a  stick 
in  his  hand.  The  boy  seeing  this  fled  to  the  school-master, 
who  still  remained  there.  The  school-master  seized  the 
stick  and  prevented  the  beating  of  the  boy.  Magee  spoke 
to  them  so  mildlv  as  to  assuage  their  anger.     His  parents 


000  .\risriiox  sciiooj><. 

then  told  him  that  henceforth  he  should  live  with  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  should  never  see  their  faces.  According  to 
their  word,  he  never  returned  to  them,  but  before  another 
vacation  went  to  dwell  with  Jesus  Christ,  whom  the  mis- 
sionaries preach." 

Conversion  of  a  Girl   in   a   Free  School. 

This  account  was  written  bj  herself  at  the  request  of  one 
of  the  missionaries,  "and  may  show,"  he  remarks,  "the  in- 
fluence of  our  native  free  schools." 

"  I  have  four  sisters  and  one  beloved  brother.  Mj  father 
gave  my  two  older  sisters  their  dowry,  and  married  them  to 
heathens.  Both  they  and  we  then  worshipped  devils,  and 
were  on  the  way  to  hell.  At  that  time  a  teacher  of  the 
Christian  religion  (missionary)  came  and  asked  my  father 
to  send  his  children  to  school.  Though  he  told  the  mission- 
ary that  he  would  send  them,  still,  as  soon  as  he  was  gone 
he  said  to  us  :  '  Well,  after  I  am  dead,  let  it  go  as  it  may, 
but  while  I  am  alive  you  shall  not  go  beyond  the  gate.'     As 

1  was  desirous  of  learning,  I  used  to  beg  my  grandmother  to 
go  with  me  to  the  school.  She  promised,  but  deceived  me. 
After  that,  the  cholera  came,  and  both  my  father  and  mo- 
ther died  in  one  day.  As  we  four  children  were  small,  we 
could  not  live  alone,  so  we  went  to  our  grandfather.  Our 
grandparents  loved  us  more  than  their  own  children,  and 
instead  of  neglecting  us,  sold  their  own  property  to  support 
us.  After  that,  Grod  was  our  father  and  mother,  and  caused 
my  3^ounger  sister  and  brother  to  be  taught  in  the  mission 
schools.  Though  I  was  very  desirous  of  learning,  still  they 
would  not  let  me  go,  on  account  of  my  age.  I  learned  my 
alphabet,  however,  of  my  sisters,  at  night,  in  leisure  mo- 
ments. 

"  After  that,  by  the  grace  of  Grod,  I  went  to  a  school, 
learned  as  fast  as  I  could,  and  became  even  the  monitor  to 
those  who  had  been  in  the  school  before  me,  and  in  about 
six  months  I  could  read  readity.  After  that,  I  read  Mat- 
thew, Mark,  Luke,  John,  and  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and 
was  much  struck  with  the  miracles  and  wonders  which  Je- 


CONVKKSION    ()V   A   (ilRL    IN    A    FMKE   SCHOOL.         8'>] 

sus  Christ  had  done.  In  consequence  of  the  joy  of  mind 
which  was  given  me,  I  meditated  on  that  I  had  read,  and 
committed  to  memory  by  day  and  by  night,  while  in  the 
house  and  by  the  way,  committing  in  one  month  three  or 
four  hundred  verses. 

'•  About  that  time  all  the  people  began  to  speak  about  the 
wonderful  fact,  that  a  man  had  cat  oft*  his  tongue  at  Skanda 
Swamy's  temple,  and  still  lived.  They  praised  their  god, 
and  said,  'The  God  of  the  missionaries  is  defeated,  and 
our  god  has  conquered ;'  and  all  ran  to  see  the  wonder,  and 
spoke  of  it  to  me.  I  was  then  in  great  distress,  and  cried 
out :  '  Alas  !  what  shall  I  do  ?  which  God  shall  I  worship  ? 
I  have  put  my  feet  into  two  boats,'  (meaning  one  foot  in 
each,  and  would  of  course  fall  into  the  sea  between  them.) 

"  When  I  heard  the  missionary  preach  about  the  man 
who  had  cut  off  his  tongue,  I  prayed,  and  said :  '  0  God ! 
my  Creator,  I  am  a  poor  ignorant  girl  ;  have  mercy  on  me 
and  save  me.'     In  this  way  I  obtained  relief. 

''  Mr.  Woodward  urged  me  to  commence  a  school,  though 
I  should  get  only  five  children.  I  commenced  accordingly, 
and  collected  about  forty  children.  Not  only  this,  I  had  a 
meeting  once  a  week,  and  exhorted  the  women.  After  a 
short  time,  I  joined  the  Church,  according  to  the  command 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Now,  not  only  I,  but,  including 
myself,  four,  two  sisters  and  my  brother,  belong  to  the 
Church. 

"  After  that,  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  our  teacher 
who  did  so  much  for  us,  I  was  in  great  distress,  and  said : 
'  Now  who  knows  our  poverty  and  will  have  compassion 
onus?  Our  father  and  mother  are  dead.  Our  property 
is  spent,  our  relations  cast  us  off,  and  our  minister,  who  was 
our  benefactor,  is  also  dead!  '  Thus  for  six  months  I  sor 
rowed  and  was  like  the  stock  of  a  tree,  lying  near  the  bank 
of  a  river,  tossed  by  its  waters.     .     .     . 

"  In  the  mean  time  I  wondered  at  the  way  in  which  I  had 
been  saved.  As  I  had  no  guardians,  I  committed  myself 
to  the  missionaries,  and  through  their  help  I  am  safe.  AVere 
it  not  for  this,  I  should  have  been  lost  like  my  companions. 


802  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

If  my  father  and  mother  had  lived,  they  would  not  have  let 
mc  go  to  school.  Though  I  had  studied,  still  if  I  had  had 
propert}',  then  that  would  have  hindered  me  from  teaching 
a  school.  It  is  very  astonishing  that  God  has  delivered  me 
from  all  these  hindrances.  Moreover,  it  is  hard  for  a  rich 
man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  Grod.  Therefore  I  greatly 
rejoice,  because  it  is  better  for  us  to  be  poor,  and  serve  Jesus 
Christ,  and  be  saved  tlirough  him,  than  to  be  with  our  father 
and  mother,  or  to  be  rich  as  my  elder  sisters  are." 

To  this  account  the  missionary  adds  :  "  She  is  now  mar- 
ried to  a  Christian  husband,  and  has  one  child  named  Daniel. 
On  the  day  when  the  child  was  baptized,  I  said  to  her  :  '  Why 
do  you  call  its  name  Daniel  ?  Are  you  going  to  throw  it 
into  the  den  of  lions  ?'  She  replied  :  '  Yes,  if  that  is  the 
Lord's  will.'  "     "She  still  continues  to  keep  her  school." 

Of  the  girls  who  had  been  educated  in  the  schools  up  to 
this  date,  the  missionaries  say :  "  They  already  exert  a  good 
influence,  and  are  mothers  of  more  than  40  children,  whom 
they  train  up  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Several  of  these  children  are  in  our  boarding- 
schools,  and  two  are  members  of  our  church." 

With  such  evidence  of  the  value  of  these  schools,  in  the 
rich  blessing  of  God  upon  them,  we  do  not  wonder  that  the 
mission  enlarged  them  to  the  extent  of  their  means.  In 
July  of  this  year,  the  schools  were  at  the  climax  of  their 
prosperity.  Their  "  187  free  schools  contained  6996  pu- 
pils." The  seminary  had  151  students,  and  the  girls'  board- 
ing-school 98. 

But  the  funds  of  the  Board  failed,  and  painful  retrench- 
ment was  unavoidable.  With  much  grief  the  missionaries 
suspended  all  but  16  of  their  free  schools,  dismissed  some 
of  the  pupils  in  the  girls'  boarding-school  and  the  seminary, 
admitted  no  new  class,  and  made  other  "  painful  retrench- 
ments." 

"  The  heathen  triumphed.  They  said  the  mission  was 
going  down.  Native  church-members  were  discouraged, 
and  resisted  ridicule,  threats  and  temptation,  less  firmly." 


LAMENTATIONS  OF  THE   MISSION.  803 

Lamentations  of  the  Mission  fox  the  Reduction  in  their  Schools. 

The  year  1838  o[)encd  in  gloom.  The  mission  seemed 
clothed  in  sackcloth.  The  circular  from  the  officers  of  the 
Board  had  reached  them,  requiring  prompt  and  severe 
retrenchment.  It  was  painful  work,  but  there  was  no  alter- 
native. Funds  failed,  and  the  expenses  of  the  mission  must 
be  reduced,  or  the  Board  become  bankrupt.  The  mission- 
aries entered  upon  this  work  of  retrenchment  with  sad 
hearts.  They  sent  away  45  students  from  the  Batticotta 
Seminary,  limiting  its  number  to  100,  and  receiving  no  new 
class  for  two  years.  From  the  Oodooville  school  they  seiit 
away  8  girls,  though  with  evident  misgivings.  In  their  let- 
ter to  the  Secretaries,  they  say :  "  We  could  not  cut  very 
deeply  into  that  institution,  without  striking  a  destructive 
blow  at  the  cause  of  female  education  and  female  piety  in 
the  land,  and  thus  marring  our  highest  hopes."  They  also 
turned  away  some  of  their  native  helpers,  reduced  their 
printing  operations,  and  stopped  the  erection  of  buildings. 

But  the  reduction  which  grieved  them  most  severely,  was 
in  their  schools.  They  were  obliged  to  abandon  all  but  16 
of  their  free  schools,  and  thus  to  turn  back  more  than  5000 
pupils  into  ignorance  and  heathenism.  We  do  not  wonder 
they  wrote  :  "  We  have  cut  off  the  arms  and  limbs  of  our 
system,  close  to  the  trunk !  If  we  must  cut  to  the  amount 
of  £100  more,  it  must  be  ^next  the  heart  P  " 

In  reply  to  the  circular  requiring  these  reductions,  the 
mission  sent  a  general  letter,  filled  with  touching  lamenta- 
tions. The  bitter  grief  of  the  missionaries  at  this  emer- 
gency, shows  their  estimate  of  these  schools  more  eloquently 
and  impressively  than  their  positive  testimony  in  the  strong- 
est language  could  have  done.  "  Looking  at  the  results  as 
a  whole,"  they  write,  "  we  see  evils  too  great  for  human 
computation.  In  the  work  of  changing  the  i-eligion  of  a 
whole  people  like  this,  which  involves  an  entire  change  of 
education,  manners,  and  customs,  and  modes  of  thought  and 
feeling,  nothing  is  more  important  than  a  fixed  impression 
on  the  minds  of  the  community,  of  the  permanence  of  those 
causes  which  are  to  bring  about  the  change. 


o04  MISSION  scriooLy. 

"After  many  years  of  toil,  our  labors  were  resulting  in  a 
strong  impression  throughout  the  land,  that  the  Christian 
religion  would  certainly  prevail.  And  this  impression,  to  a 
very  great  extent,  was  based  on  the  conviction  that  the  mis- 
sionaries would  never  give  over ;  that  their  means  of  influ- 
encing the  community,  and  especially  the  rising  generation, 
would  never  fail.  And  this  impression  was  fast  preparing 
the  way  for  breaking  over  those  bonds  of  caste,  and  clan- 
sliip,  and  family,  which,  with  a  strength  that  can  not  be 
appreciated  in  America,  bind  tlie  people  to  the  religion  of 
the  land.  The  prophecies  that  the  missionaries  would  by 
and  by  give  up  in  discouragement,  had  been  proved  vain. 
Every  year  their  cords  were  seen  to  be  lengthening,  and 
their  stakes  strengthening.  But  the  blow  which  has  been 
struck  has  weakened,  every  where,  the  strength  of  this  im- 
pression. It  has  staggered  the  weak  in  faith  in  our  churches, 
and  taken  away  their  confidence  in  the  presence  of  opposers ; 
it  has  quieted  uneasy  consciences  among  the  people ;  it  has 
caused  the  whole  communit}^  to  feel  that  what  has  been, 
may  be  only  the  precursor  of  greater  reductions  to  come. 
This  impression  we  meet  with  constantly.  We  feel  its  in- 
fluence in  almost  every  department  of  effort.  In  many  cases 
it  takes  away  the  edge  of  our  words.  It  often  closes  the 
mouths  of  our  helpers.  It  is  an  evil  which  can  not  be  writ- 
ten so  as  to  be  appreciated  abroad,  but  it  is  an  evil,  disas- 
trous, not  only  to  the  progress  of  our  cause  generally,  but 
also  to  the  increase  of  true  piety  in  the  land.  This,  time 
and  steady  toil  only,  can  remove. 

"  The  breaking  up  of  our  schools  has  been  a  grievous 
blow.  On  account  of  the  pressure  which  we  then  began 
heavily  to  feel,  we  were  driven  to  a  temporary  suspension 
of  our  schools  in  July  last.  We  then  made  our  retrench- 
ment in  that  department,  because  there  was  no  other  depart- 
ment of  our  labors  which  could  so  easily  be  resumed,  after  a 
temporary  suspension.  But  it  was  with  aching  hearts  that 
we  turned  5000  children  out  into  the  wilderness  of  heathen- 
ism, to  be  exposed  to  the  roaring  lion,  even  for  the  short 
period  of  three  or  four  months.     It  was  painful  to  miss  them 


T.A^[EXTATTOX.^    OF   THE    ^ilSSIOX.  80,") 

at  the  house  of  God  on  the  Sabbath,  and  on  Tuesdays,  Avhen 
they  were  accustomed  to  come  together  to  study  and  hear 
the  word  of  God.  So  deeply  did  we  come  to  feel  the  evils 
of  this  suspension,  that  when  we  came  together  at  our  annual 
meeting,  it  was  a  general  feeling  that,  at  almost  any  sacrifice, 
we  must  resume  the  schools  to  an  important  extent.  But 
ice  could  not.  We  have  left  the  children  to  wander.  They 
hear  not  the  word  of  God ;  they  come  not  to  his  house ; 
they  study  not  the  way  of  life  ;  their  education  is  strictly 
heathen;  their  minds  are  being  filled  with  })rejudice;  they 
are  trained  onlj^  in  sin. 

"  By  the  breaking  up  of  the  schools,  the  Sabbath  congre- 
gation is  almost  broken  up  at  a  number  of  our  stations. 
The  children  and  masters  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  congre- 
gation. By  the  breaking  up  of  our  schools,  one  of  the  rods 
of  our  power  is  broken.  No  man  who  has  not  tried  it  can 
tell  how  difficult  it  is  to  bring  the  simplest  truths  of  the  Gos- 
pel into  contact  with  the  mind  of  an  adult,  trained  from  his 
earliest  years  in  Hinduism.  The  rising  generation,  by  a 
course  of  instruction,  to  a  very  important  extent  liberal, 
were  getting  Christian  ideas  in  connection  with  language, 
and  were  beins^  shut  out  from  those  heathenish  associations 
with  every  important  word,  which  prevent  the  adult  from 
feeling  the  force  of  the  preached  truth.  But  we  have  no 
heart  to  dwell  upon  this  point.  Our  children  are  no  longer 
ours.  They  are  almost  certainly  shut  out  from  the  way  and 
the  hope  of  heaven. 

"  The  results  to  the  seminary,  and  the  important  Christian 
interests  which  cluster  around  that  institution,  are  very  pain- 
ful. For  want  of  funds,  we  took  no  class  at  the  regular  time 
in  October  last.  And  our  funds  will  not  authorize  the  re- 
ception of  a  class  the  coming  October.  By  this,  the  whole 
arrangement  of  the  institution  is  necessarily  thrown  into  dis- 
order, and  it  will  take  years  to  bring  it  to  the  previous  state 
of  regularity.  There  will  now,  necessarilj^,  be  a  chasm  of 
two  or  three  years  between  the  present  fourth  class  and  that 
which  will  succeed  it.  A  year  ago,  in  a  printed  card,  we 
told  the  v^diole  communitv  that  we  should  take  a  class  of 


806  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

40  the  then  coming  October,  according  to  the  terms  of 
admission  therein  stated.  In  October  we  were  compelled  to 
sa}^ :  '  For  want  of  money,  we  can  not  fulfill  onr  promise, 
but  we  shall  be  able  to  do  it  the  year  following.'  But  we 
can  not  do  it,  and  a  failure  to  do  it  will  add  new  strength  to 
the  impression  that  the  missionary  efforts  and  means  are  de- 
clining, and  may  by  and  by  cease.  But  this  is  not  all.  At 
the  commencement  of  our  annnal  meeting,  we  carefully  ran 
over  the  list  of  students,  with  a  view  of  selecting  all  who 
were  so  deficient  in  promise,  either  on  account  of  scholar- 
ship, conduct  or  ability,  that  they  might  be  dismissed  with- 
out serious  injury  to  the  institution,  or  the  general  cause. 
Feeling  our  pressure,  we  numbei^ed  in  that  class  some  Vvdiom 
we  would  willingly  have  retained.  We  marked  the  namics 
of  14.  To  these  we  have  been  compelled  to  add  30  more, 
making  in  all  44."  ^' Among  these  are  some  lads  of  fine 
promise  as  to  scholarship,  and  from  the  most  influential 
families  in  the  land.  If  they  had  continued  with  us,  doubt- 
less many  of  them  would,  by  the  grace  of  God,  have  been 
truly  converted,  and  thus  been  prepared  to  build  up  the 
Eedeemer  s  kingdom  in  the  l,and.  But  they  are  now  thrown 
back,  with  minds  soured  by  disappointment,  to  grow  up  its 
strongest  opposers.  We  could  have  wished  the  Christians 
in  America  could  have  turned  aside  for  a  day  from  bujnng 
and  selling,  and  getting  gain,  to  see  these  44  boys,  as  they 
left  the  seminary,  to  go  back  to  their  heathen  homes! 

''But  the  loss  of  these  is  not  the  only  loss.  Through  the 
strong  desire  waking  up  in  the  land  for  a  knowledge  of 
English,  the  seminary  was  fast  coming  to  have  the  virtual 
control  of  the  whole  education  of  the  district.  By  requiring 
a  knowledice  of  our  Christian  books  as  the  terms  of  admis- 
sion,  we  were  securing  the  careful  study  of  these,  even  by 
many  not  connected  with  mission  schools.  But  our  inabil- 
itv  to  take  new  classes  for  two  successive  years,  together 
with  the  excision  of  so  large  a  number  already,  has,  to  a 
great  extent,  cut  off  the  hope  of  future  admission.  The  con- 
sequence is,  that  scholars  are  leaving  our  English  day-schools 
at  the  stations,  some  of  which  will  probably  be  broken  up. 


LAMRXTATTOXS   OF   THE   :N[ISSI0X.  307 

These  schools,  bringing  boys  daily  under  the  eye  and 
Christian  instruction  of  the  missionaries,  are  in  a  peculiar 
degree  the  nurseries  of  the  Church. 

"  We  might  go  into  the  detail  of  many  other  painful  par- 
ticulars ;  but  we  will  not.  They  have  come  upon  us  sud- 
denly, and  we  must  bear  them.  We  can  not  write  them  so 
thai  they  will  be  felt  in  America.  If  we  could  have  fore- 
seen the  coming  blow,  though  grievous,  it  would  not  have 
been  so  destructive.  It  has  come  like  a  thunder-bolt,  and 
compelled  us,  with  but  little  time  for  deliberation,  to  break 
up  or  render  inefficient,  plans  and  operations,  whose  success, 
under  God,  depended  mainly  on  their  permanence."     .     . 

''In  these  circumstances,  the  reduction  which  the  Com- 
mittee have  been  compelled  to  make,  is  well-nigh  destruc- 
tion to  your  mission  in  Jaffna.  We  make  no  complaint. 
We  see  not  how  the  Committee  could  have  done  otherwise. 
But,  as  the  messengers  of  the  churches,  we  ask  the  privilege 
of  saying  to  the  friends  of  missions  in  America :  '  If  you 
would  not  waste  your  money  in  the  missionary  work — if 
you  would  not  waste  the  labors  and  the  lives  of  your  mis- 
sionaries in  fruitless  toil — if  you  would  not  do  only  to  undo 
again,  you  must  give -a  steady  and  unchanging  support  to  your 
established  missions.  Better  not  establish  a  new  mission  for 
years,  than  throw  one  already  established  into  a  state  of 
bankruptcy.' 

"  We  know  the  state  of  universal  pecuniary  distress 
which  has  visited  our  land.  It  is  indeed  unparalleled.  We 
learn,  too,  with  gTatitude  to  God,  that,  even  in  that  year  of 
distress,  the  receipts  of  the  Board  exceeded  those  of  former 
years.  But,  brethren,  when,  in  your  stead,  we  went  down 
into  the  deep  cavern,  j'ou  told  us  that,  come  storm  or  come 
sunshine,  you  would  never  release  your  hold.  And  now, 
when  after  much  toil,  we  have  gathered  around  us  many  of 
those  whom  we  were  sent  down  to  rescue,  will  you  forsake 
us  ?  We  plead  not  for  ourselves.  On  that  score  we  have 
no  anxiety.  We  plead  for  this  dying  people;  that  having 
begun  to  lead  them  in  the  way  to  heaven,  you  would  not,  for 
an}^  worldly  consideration,  leave  them  to  turn  back  to  hell.'' 


80S  :\rT3SioN  schools. 

What  praying  man  or  woman  can  read  over  these  tearful 

lamentations  and  touching  appeals  without  deep  and  strong 
sympathy?  Did  not  the  failure  of  funds  and  the  consequent 
abandonment  of  these  schools  involve  a  terrible  calamity, 
over  which  those  devoted  missionaries  did  right  to  mourn  ? 
And  how  can  a  man,  who  has  been  observant  of  the  opera- 
tions of  the  American  Board  for  the  last  twenty -two  years, 
avoid  the  inquiry,  ^V^hat  greater  calamity  was  the  breaking 
up  of  such  schools  in  1837-8  than  in  1854-6  ?  What  great- 
er calamity  in  their  being  broken  up  for  the  loant  of  funds 
than  by  the  dictum  of  a  Deputaiion^  "clothed  with  full  power 
and  authority"?  The  schools  which  were  broken  up  in  the 
two  cases  were  precisely  alike  in  character  and  results.  Was 
it  not  as  sad  to  send  Hindu  children  away  from  mission 
schools,  an  offering  to  the  Hindu  Moloch,  in  1854,  as  it  was 
in  1837  ?  Was  it  not  as  sad  to  see  them  sent  away  by  the 
mere  caprice  of  erring  man,  as  by  the  stern  necessity  in. 
volved  in  the  failure  of  funds  ? 

Does  any  one  fancy  the  circumstances  of  the  case  had 
changed?  Impossible.  The  Batticotta  Seminary  of  1837 
was  also  the  Batticotta  Seminary  of  1855.  The  failure  of 
funds  in  1837  sent  awa}^  only  forty-five  of  its  students.  The 
action  of  the  Deputation  in  1855  extinguished  the  institu- 
tion entirely.  The  Bombay  high-school  was  like  it  in  cha- 
racter, and  this,  too,  was  suppressed  by  the  Deputation. 
Does  any  one  fancy  that  want  of  funds  led  the  Deputation 
to  suppress  these  schools  in  1854-5  ?  Then  why  did  they 
suppress  schools  which  had  never  cost  the  home  funds  of 
the  Board  a  farthing?  Why  did  they  "turn  out  into  the 
sreat  and  terrible  wilderness  of  the  heathen  world"  five 

o 

hundred  children  and  youth  under  daily  Christian  instruc- 
tion, and  that  too  when  we  plead  for  them  with  tears,  and 
pledged  ourselves  that  if  they  would  only  allow  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  schools,  they  should  never  be  any  expense 
ti)  the  Board? 

Ah  !  why  is  it,  that  the  unavoidable  abandonment  of  these 
schools  in  1837,  for  want  of  funds,  filled  the  periodicals  of 
the  Board  with  bitter  lamentations,  while  their  needless  sup- 


FATHER  SPAULDIXGS   L.UII::XT.  309 

prcssion  in  1855  is  passed  over  in  silence,  or  gloried  in  as  a 
slirewd  stroke  of  policy  ? 

And  there  were  lamentations,  too,  in  1855.  as  tearfid  and 
tonchiug  as  any  in  lb37.  They  may  not  find  a  place  in  tlie 
records  of  the  American  Board,  but  if  tlie  history  of  mis- 
sions records  them  not,  she  will  be  unfliithlnl  to  her  trust. 
More  touching  lamentations  never  found  utterance  than 
some  which  were  wrung  from  the  hearts  of  long- tried  and 
faithful  missionaries — hearts  torn  and  crushed  by  the  mag- 
nitude of  the  evil  which  had  come  upon  them. 


Father  Spaulding's  Lament. 

In  view  of  the  desolations  caused  in  the  Jaffna  mission, 
in  1855,  the  touching  lamentation  of  this  dear  devoted  mis- 
sionary shall  stand  here  as  the  representative  of  many ;  ut- 
tered hesitatingly,  treml^lingl}^,  in  most  cases,  as  if  under 
some  painful  apprehensions,  and  j'ct  uttered  with  a  force 
and  meaning  that  could  not  be  repressed. 

Father  Spaulding  is  the  oldest  American  missionary  in 
Ceylon.  Through  some  foi'ty  years  of  faithful  labor  there 
he  has  gathered  up  rich  stores  of  personal  experience  and 
observation ;  he  had  found  the  schools  to  be  the  right  arm 
of  his  usefulness  and  power  in  the  mission,  and  he  could 
not  see  them  suppressed,  even  by  his  best  friends,  without 
grief.  Amidst  the  wreck  and  ruins  of  his  schools  and  life- 
long labors,  with  a  broken,  stricken,  grieving  heart  he  gives 
utterance  to  his  sorrow  in  patriarchal  simplicity :  "  '  Joseph 
is  not  and  Simeon  is  noV  Our  village-schools  are  ragged  schools. 
Our  hecdlh  is  pining  —  our  strength  lueakened — ■  our  church  in 
saclccloth — and  the  crown  is  fallen  from  our  heads  to  the  dust, 
and  icoe  is  me,  for  we  are  undone — is  my  ivailing  even  in  the 
night-ivatches.^^  "TFe  «rc  very  small  and  op^pressed.  We  have 
lost  much  in  native  assistants,  {now  the  glory  of  otlur  missions ;) 
much  in  our  village-schools ;  much  in  unity  and  liberality  of 
counsel  and  effort ;  xmd  much  of  the  confidence  of  the  people. 
Who  will  he  responsible  in  the  day  of  judgmentV 

The  question  is  urged  here,  not  in  bitterness  but  in  kind- 


810  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

ness,  not  in  anger  but  in  sorrow,  and  yet  in  all  its  solemn 
gravity,  onglit  not  this  suppression  of  the  schools  in  1855, 
by  a  Deputation  sent  out  at  an  expense  of  some  $10,000,  to 
stir  as  deep  and  lasting  regret  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  love 
the  cause,  as  did  their  abandonment  in  1837  for  want  of 
funds?  "  Who  will  be  responsible  in  the  day  of  judgment  ?" 

Grief  of  the  Board  for  the  Loss   of  the  Schools. 

In  1837-8,  in  view  of  the  terrible  disaster  involved  in 
abandoning  the  schools,  and  of  the  lamentations  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, the  of&cers  and  patrons  of  the  Board  seemed  al- 
most to  vie  with  each  other  in  the  depth  and  extent  of  their 
grief,  and  their  efforts  to  retrieve  the  loss.  The  editor  of 
the  Missionanj  Herald  introduced  the  letter  and  enforced  the 
appeals  of  the  mission  in  impressive  and  touching  terms. 
He  says  :  "Let  every  Christian  reader  of  this  letter  imagine 
himself  as  nearly  as  he  can.  in  the  place  of  his  missionary 
brethren  and  s'lstev^  in  Ceylon,  and  sympathize  with  them 
in  th^ir  disappointment  and  grief,  while  stripped  of  almost 
all  their  facilities  for  extended  usefulness,  and  left  to  mourn 
over  apparently  lost  labor ;  let  him  see  the  schools  disband- 
ed and  the  youths  turned  away  from  the  seminaries,  and  fol- 
low them  all  to  the  haunts  of  heathenism  and  temptation ; 
let  him  hear  the  triumph  and  scoffs  of  the  heathen,  renew- 
ing their  confidence  in  the  strength  and  permanency  of  their 
idolatrous  system,  which  had  begun  to  fail  them ;  let  him 
think  how  the  native  assistants  and  church  members  are 
disheartened  and  their  faith  shaken,  subjected  as  they  are 
to  new  assaults  and  temptations;  and  say  whether  the 
poverty  of  the  Christian  community  at  home  is  such  as  to 
justify  the  patrons  of  the  Board  in  permitting  this  mission 
any  longer  to  remain  in  this  prostrate  and  paralyzed  con- 
dition." "  Let  each  one  of  the  patrons  of  the  Board  regard 
this  appeal  as  addressed  to  himself,  and  let  him  in  his  own 
mind  make  out  such  a  reply  to  it,  in  his  own  defense,  as  he 
would  be  willing  to  meet  the  afflicted  brethren  with,  could 
he  see  them  face  to  face ;  such  a  reply  as  he  would  be  will- 


PUriLS   SENT   BACK  TO    HEATHEXIS.Ar.  311 

ing  to  make  before  the  throne  of  Christ  to  the  deceased 
brother  who  penned  it."  At  the  annual  meeting  of  this 
year,  1838,  one  of  the  secretaries  read  a  paper  from  which 
take  the  following  extracts:  "  The  effects  of  the  curtailment 
were  first  felt  in  the  free  schools  and  seminaries  connected 
with  the  missions;  and  they  were  disastrous  and  painful 
nearly  in  proportion  to  the  extent  and  success  with  which 
these  had  before  been  condu.cted.  In  Ceylon  five  thousand 
pupils  were  dismissed  from  the  free  schools  at  once,  leaving 
only  sixteen  schools  remaining.  'The  breaking  up  of  our 
schools,'  say  the  missionaries,  'has  been  a  most  grievous 
blow.  It  was  with  aching  hearts  that  we  turned  five  thou- 
sand children  out  into  the  wilderness  of  heathenism.' " 

Five  Thousand  Pupils  sent  back  to  Heathenism. 

"  After  my  usual  lessons,"  says  one  of  the  older  mission- 
aries, "  with  the  readers  in  the  schools  yesterday,  I  gave 
each  a  portion  of  the  Bible  as  a  present.  I  told  them  the 
reason — exhorted  them  to  read  it,  not  to  enter  into  tempta- 
tion, and  to  keep  the  Sabbath  holy  —  prayed  with  them, 
commendino'  them  to  the  Friend  of  little  children,  and  then 
sent  them  away — from  me,  from  the  Bible  class,  from  the 
Sabbath-school,  from  the  house  of  prayer,  to  feed  on  the 
mountains  of  heathenism,  with  the  idols  under  the  green 
trees — a  prey  to  the  roaring  lion,  to  evil  demons,  and  to  a 
people  more  ignorant  than  they,  even  to  their  blind,  delud- 
ed, and  deluding  guides ;  and  when  I  looked  after  them,  as 
they  went  out,  my  heart  failed  me.  Oh !  what  an  offering 
to  Swamy  ! — -five  thousand  children  .^" 

"  But  the  bearinof  of  this  curtailment  on  the  svstem  of 
education  in  this  mission,  did  not  end  with  the  free  schools. 
Eight  girls  were  cut  off  from  the  female  boarding-school — 
a  school  which  the  mission  regard  as  vitally  connected 
with  female  education  and  female  piety  in  the  land.  The 
seminary  for  educating  native  preachers,  and  other  helpers, 
could  not  escape.  No  new  class  could  be  taken  at  the  usual 
time  for  admitting  one,  in  the  autumn  of  1837.     Still  less 


312  MISSION   SCHOOLS, 

could  the  missionaries  open  tlie  door  for  one  tlie  present 
autumn.  Thus  the  hopes  of  about  one  hundred  candidates 
were  disappointed,  and  their  progress  in  obtaining  an  edu- 
cation, which  should  bring  them  under  Christian  influences, 
and  ultimately  qualify  them  for  usefulness  to  their  country- 
men and  the  Church,  probably  arrested  forever.  T'herc  was 
a  more  painful  step  still,  which  the  mission  could  not  be 
spared.  Forty -four  must  be  cut  off  from  those  already  in 
the  seminary,  who  had  enjoyed  their  instructions,  and  on 
whom  their  hopes  were  set  as  future  coadjutors  in  their 
work." 

'•  This  retrograde  movement  has,  in  some  instances,  exert- 
ed a  most  unhappy  influence  upon  a  whole  heathen  com- 
munity. In  Ceylon,  no  sooner  was  it  known  that  the  re- 
sources of  the  mission  had  failed,  and  the  schools  were  dis- 
missed, than  a  general  exultation  and  triumph  prevailed." 
"  Native  teachers  are  turned  out  of  employment,  and  are  ex- 
posed to  a  life  of  idleness  and  temptation.  Instead  of  being 
coadjutors  to  the  missionaries  in  doing  good  to  their  own 
countrymen,  they  are  in  danger  of  being  ruined  themselves, 
and  becoming  the  means  of  ruining  others. 

"  The  native  church  members  are  disheartened  and  per- 
plexed. "With  the  little  knowledge  and  enlargement  of 
mind,  which  they  can  be  supposed  to  possess,  it  is  not 
strange  that  it  seems  to  them  now  as  if  that  cause  to  which 
they  had  attached  themselves,  and  which  they  supposed  was 
to  rise  steadily  as  the  sun,  and  universally  prevail,  was  now 
about  to  set  in  confusion.  This  fills  them  with  doubt  and 
dismay. 

"  Nor  does  the  character  of  the  missionaries,  and  through 
them  the  character  of  Christianity  itself,  escape  reproach. 
They  have  disappointed  expectations,  and,  as  the  heathen 
regard  it,  broken  the  pledges  which  they  had  previously 
given.  In  Ceylon,  the  missionaries  were  regarded  as  pledged 
to  carry  the  pupils  already  received  through  their  respective 
branches  of  instruction,  and  to  receive  additional  classes  to 
the  seminaries  from  year  to  year.  When  they  turned  away 
five  thousand  pupils  from  the  free  schools,  and  forty-four  from 


GRIEF   OF  THE   BOARD.  313 

the  seminary,  and  refused  to  receive  classes  for  two  success- 
ive 3'enrs,  they  were  charged  with  breaking  their  promises. 

"The  Committee  repeat  what  they  said  on  introducing 
this  subject,  that  what  we  now  see  are  only  tlie  beginnings 
of  the  consequences  which  are  growing  out  of  this  curtail- 
ment. The  results  which  are  to  be  developed  in  the  future 
life  and  in  the  eternal  existence  of  the  multitudes  affected 
by  it,  none  can  foretell  but  He  who  sees  the  end  from  the 
beginning.  Of  how  many  was  probably  the  character  and 
the  everlasting  destiny  fixed  that  day,  when  the  Ceylon 
mission,  compelled  by  the  scantiness  of  our  contributions, 
decided  to  turn  five  thousand  pupils  from  their  schools ':' 
Who  is  willing  to  look  at  the  consequences  of  this  curtail- 
ment to  that  student  of  the  seminary,  turned  away  with  bis 
])ride  wounded  and  his  mind  soured,  to  become  a  hardened 
idolater,  or  a  leader  in  infidelity;  or  to  that  convinced  but 
unconverted  school-master ;  or  to  that  weak  church-member ; 
or  to  those  girls  shut  out  from  the  boarding-school,  and 
turned  over  again  to  heathen  parents  and  friends,  without 
restraint,  to  be  trained  for  idol-worship,  or  scenes  of  pollu- 
tion and  infamy  ;  or  to  those  Brahmans  and  learned  men, 
whose  faith  in  their  Shasters  began  to  waver,  but  who  now 
are  convinced  again  that  Siva  is  mightier  than  Jehovah  ;  or 
to  those  whole  nations  of  heathen  to  whom  we  have  been 
virtually  shutting  up  the  way  of  life,  and  as  it  were  clearing 
out  the  impediments  from  their  broad  way  to  perdition, 
which  the  missionaries  had  been  throwing  in  to  obstruct 
their  progress  ?" 

These  regrets  and  lamentations  of  the  missionaries,  officers, 
and  patrons  of  the  Board,  for  the  reduction  of  their  schools 
in  1837,  found  fitting  expression  in  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  adopted  by  the  whole  Board : 

'^Hesolved,  That  this  Board  deeply  sympathize  with  its  mis- 
sionaries under  the  grief  and  disappointment  they  have  suffered, 
in  consequence  of  the  curtailment  of  their  means  of  usefulness, 
and  would  assure  tliem  of  our  prayers  and  efforts  that  they  may 
be  speedily  furnished  with  the  aid  necessary  for  executing  their 
former  plans,  and  extending  their  operations." 

14 


514  MI3S10X   SCHOOLS. 

aSow  these  vivid  representations  of  tlie  sad  results  of  ihe 
curtailment  in  1837,  and  this  resolution  of  the  Board  to  re- 
trieve the  loss  as  speedily  as  possible,  are  surely  fitting. 
But  why  more  fitting  in  1837  than  in  1855  ?  Was  it  any 
less  disastrous  to  turn  away  heathen  teachers  and  pupils  in 
1855  than  in  1837  ?  Were  these  schools  any  more  needed 
in  Ceylon,  in  1837,  after  twenty  years'  progress,  than  in 
7ieio  missions  in  1855  ?  Was  it  not  as  sad  for  native  con- 
verts and  inquirers  to  be  thrust  away  from  the  mission  at 
Ahmednuggur  in  1851,  by  the  summary  suppression  of  the 
seminary  there,  as  by  the  curtailment  in  Ceylon  in  1887  ? 
Does  it  really  change  the  character  of  the  results  because  in 
the  one  case  the  schools  were  disbanded  for  the  want  of 
funds,  and  the  calamitj^  elicited  a  burst  of  regret,  sympathy, 
and  lamentation  from  missionaries,  ofiicers,  patrons,  and  the 
whole  Board,  while  in  the  other  the  schools  were  suppressed 
by  the  Deputation,  and  only  a  few  of  the  old  and  long-tried 
missionaries  ventured  to  give  utterance  to  their  grief? 

Here  are  two  correlative  pages  in  the  history  of  missions, 
the  lessons  of  which  the  churches  can  not  afford  to  lose. 
The  Ofiicers  of  the  American  Board,  by  their  changing  poli- 
cy, have  developed  conflicting  acts  and  series  of  fects  and 
results  which  are  painfully  instructive.  If  they  can  recon- 
cile their  regrets  and  lamentations  for  the  loss  of  their 
schools  in  1838,  with  their  voluntary  suppression  of  the 
same  schools  in  1855,  they  certainly  owe  it  to  the  Church 
and  the  world  to  do  so. 

Efforts  to  Ketrieve  the  Loss. 

1839. — The  shades  of  light  and  darkness  alternate,  and 
sometimes  intermingle,  in  the  picture  of  this  year.  The 
general  summary  at  its  commencement  speaks  in  tones  of 
gTief  of  the  sad  reverse  which  had  fiillen  upon  the  mission. 
"  It  was  never  making  more  rapid  progress  in  its  work, 
never  exerting  a  happier  or  greater  influence,  never  blessed 
with  more  cheering  prospects,  than  when,  as  by  a  blast  from 
the  desert,  the  numerous  children  in  its  schools  were  driven 
away  and  dispersed  among  the  heathen." 


EFFORTS   TO   RETRIEVE   THE   LO.SS.  315 

The  convictions  of  the  missionaries  as  to  the  vital  import- 
ance of  these  schools  are  recorded  in  terms  which  can  not  be 
mistaken.  "Aside  from  the  training  of  teachers  of  Christ- 
ianity," they  say,  ''  the  seminary  is  doing  much  to  introduce 
the  Gosjoel  into  the  country,  by  the  tone  it  gives  to  religious 
education,  and  the  encouragement  it  affords  to  Christian 
schools.  The  missionaries  find  no  difficult}^  in  making  all 
their  schools  as  thoroughly  religious  as  they  choose.  And 
parents  who  wish  to  have  their  sons  educated  make  no  ob- 
jections to  the  study  of  Christian  lessons." 

"  Christianity,  without  an  education  suited  to  its  nature 
and  genius,  will  exist  only  in  embryo.  It  will  exert  no 
living,  *  self-propagating  power.  The  mere  repetition  of 
Christian  precepts  is  not  enough  to  feed  and  furnish  the 
mind.  In  regard  to  this  people,  their  whole  moral  organi- 
zation is  defective,  from  never  having  enjoyed  a  single 
healthful  influence  in  their  early  education.  To  give  them 
an  elevated  piety  there  is  needed,  after  conversion  as  well 
as  before,  the  patient  and  persevering  efforts  of  parental 
training,  more  necessary  and  difficult  as  they  are  met  and 
resisted  by  the  powerful  influences  of  habit,  confirmed  by 
years  of  sin,  and  example  that  is  almost  universal.  What 
we  regard,  then,  of  essential  importance  to  the  permanence 
and  growth  of  Christianity  in  this  land,  is  the  formation  of 
a  communit}'"  that  shall  be  governed  by  enlightened  Christ- 
ian sentiments." 

"  You  are  aware  that  but  little  has  been  done  the  jDast 
eighteen  months  in  the  department  of  native  free  schools. 
Our  direct  influence  upon  the  people  has  in  consequence 
been  very  limited.  The  schools,  as  has  been  often  remarked, 
are  an  important  channel  of  communication  with  the  parents 
and  friends  of  the  pupils.  Without  them  we  labor  under 
great  disadvantages  in  securing  their  presence  and  gaining 
their  attention.  We  hope  to  be  able  to  resume  a  sufficient 
number  of  the  schools  the  present  year  to  give  ef&cienc}'-  to 
our  system." 

"  We  are  as  much  as  ever  convinced  of  the  adaptation  of 
our  general  system  of  effort  to  the  great  object  of  turning 


3 IB  MISSION    SCHOOTiS. 

this  people  from  idolatry,  and  of  converting  them  to  God. 
'We  do  not  see  bow  Christianity  can  be  permanently  estab- 
lished, in  this  or  in  any  land,  without  the  aid  of  a  system  of 
Christian  education.  We  are  not  aware  that  it  ever  has 
been  established  without  sucli  aid.  In  tliis  land,  even 
preaching  the  Gospel  almost  necessarily  partakes  of  the  cha- 
racter of  elementary  teaching.  Schools,  under  Christian 
influence,  are  the  most  economical  means  of  giving  to  the 
mass  of  the  community  a  great  deal  of  instruction  that  is 
necessary  to  the  understanding  of  the  truths  of  the  Gospel. 
"We  do  not  say  they  are  a  means  necessary  to  conversion ; 
but  for  the  growth  and  permanence  of  Christian  principles 
in  a  heathen  community,  we  consider  them,  in  connection 
with  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  by  the  missionary,  as  of 
very  essential  advantage.  AVe  have  sometimes  thought  the 
American  Church  did  not  appreciate  the  advantages  she  de- 
rives from  the  Christian  education  of  her  youth,  and  there- 
fore does  not  admit,  to  the  extent  that  we  think  she  ought, 
the  importance  or  the  obligation  of  connecting  a  system  of 
religious  education  with  the  efforts  of  her  missionaries.  But 
if  every  Christian  school  and  every  pious  mother  were  with- 
drawn from  America,  what  would  be  the  result  to  the 
Church  ?  And  if  the  influence  of  a  polluting  and  idolatrous 
system  of  religion  were  substituted,  what  would  be  her 
future  prospects?  We  ask  no  more  than  that  she  would 
do  unto  others  what  she  would  that  they  should  do  unto 
her,  if  the  circumstances  were  reversed." 

These  views  and  convictions  of  the  missionaries  were 
promptly  and  warmly  seconded  by  the  Board,  as  already 
shown,  and  the  Committee  sent  a  letter  by  "  the  shortest 
and  most  expeditious  route,"  and  relieved  the  mission  from 
the  restriction  which  had  been  imposed  upon  it. 

"  The  mission  kept  a  day  of  special  thanksgiving  when 
they  heard  that  the  churches  had  enabled  the  Committee  to 
relieve  them  from  their  embarrassments."  The  Ceylon  gov- 
ernment generously  contributed  £200  a  year  for  its  schools, 
and  though  "so  much  ruin  could  not  be  repaired  at  once," 
and  the  schools  were  but  partially  resumed,  still  the  state 


TENTH    REVIVAL   IN   THE   SCHOOLS.  317 

of  the  mission  was  greatly  improved,  and  the  year  closed 
with  "  fifty-one  free  schools,  containing  1824  scholars,"  and 
260  boarding-scholars,  of  whom  86  were  members  of  the 
Church. 

Tenth  Revival  in  the   Schools. 

Another  "precious  visitation,"  too,  was  enjoj^ed  in  the 
schools.  It  commenced  near  the  close  of  the  previous  year, 
and  ten  persons  were  soon  admitted  into  the  Church,  of 
whom  "nine  were  members  of  the  girls'  boarding-school." 
But  the  more  marked  results  of  God's  gracious  presence 
were  enjoyed  in  May.  Special  religious  meetings  had  been 
held,  and  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  pupils  were  found  pre- 
pared for  the  silent  operations  of  the  Spirit,  as  on  former  simi- 
lar occasions.  "  From  that  time  a  considerable  number  re- 
gularly attended  a  meeting  of  inquiry,  held  every  Sabbath. 
This  class  of  candidates  for  the  church  numbered  about 
fift}^  during  the  last  term.  From  them  thirty-one  were  re- 
ceived to  the  communion  of  the  Church,  on  the  19th  inst., 
(May,)  making  the  number  of  students  now  in  the  seminar}^, 
who  are  members  of  the  Church,  in  regular  standing,  eighty 
four,  while  of  the  sixty-six  remaining  students,  about  twenty 
were  candidates  for  admission."  ^Well  do  the  missionaries 
say :  "  From  this  view  we  feel  ourselves  called  upon  to 
thank  God  and  take  courage." 

In  September  of  this  year  they  write  again  :  "  The  moral 
and  religious  state  of  the  seminary  is  encouraging.  At  no 
time  previously  has  there  been  so  large  a  proportion  of  the 
students  members  of  the  Church.  It  has  been  a  leading 
feature  in  the  boarding-school  system  from  its  commence- 
ment, that  a  large  proportion  of  the  pupils  come  forward  to 
profiess  their  faith  in  Christ." 

Thus  the  missionaries  proved  the  truth  of  their  own  judg- 
ment and  prediction  when  they  wrote :  "  As  the  word  of 
God  shall  not  go  forth  in  vain,  we  may  confidently  expect 
that,  if  any  where,  there  will  be  true  converts  among  those 
who  are  daily  and  for  a  long  time  brought  into  immediate 
contact  with  divine  truth,  and  who  are  in  a  great  measure 


818  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

removed    from    the    adverse    influences    peculiar    to   this 
country." 

Near  the  close  of  this  year,  revertiog  to  the  reduction  of 
the  schools,  and  the  success  of  efforts  to  retrieve  their  loss, 
tliey  say :  ''  Most  of  the  native  free  schools  at  the  station, 
which  were  for  many  months  suspended,  have  been  reestab- 
lished. Few,  however,  of  the  older  pupils  are  now  in  at- 
tendance. The  blight  occasioned  by  the  dearth  of  funds 
will  long  be  felt  at  every  station."  And  yet,  "the  readi- 
ness of  the  people  to  send  their  children  to  Christian  schools, 
even  their  female  children,  furnishes  pleasing  evidence  that 
there  has  been  a  leavening  of  the  whole  mass  of  the  com- 
munit}^" 

Converting  Influence  of  tlie   Schools. 

1840. — Among  the  notices  of  the  schools  this  year  we 
find  the  following  in  regard  to  the  girls'  boarding  school : 
"  The  whole  number  admitted  to  this  school  since  the  com- 
mencement is  167."  It  has  been  before  stated  that  all  who 
had  left  after  a  regular  course  of  study,  gave  evidence  of 
piety.  And  now  it  is  stated  that  "of  the  90  now  in  the 
school,  25  are  members  of  the  Church,  25  the  children  of 
church-members,  and  sev^al  others  are  the  sisters  of  pious 
lads  in  the  seminary  at  Batticotta.  The  influence  of  the 
pious  girls  on  the  morals  of  the  school  is  most  happy. 
Meetings  among  themselves,  and  with  the  other  girls,  for 
reading  the  Bible,  exhortation,  and  prayer,  are  a  delight." 

"It  is  not  uncommon  that  these  children  exert  a  \Qvy 
favorable  influence  on  their  parents  and  other  friends,  when 
they  go  home  in  their  vacations,  by  reading  portions  of  the 
Bible  or  tracts,  by  answering  inquiries,  and  by  urging  the 
claims  of  Christianity." 

"  The  bearings  of  this  school  on  the  future  prospects  of 
the  mission  are  most  interesting.  The  objections  and  pre- 
judices against  female  education  are  shown  to  be  without 
foundation,  and  the  happy  contrast  between  an  educated 
and  pious  wife  and  an  ignorant  heathen  one,  is  seen  and  ac- 
knowledged, not  only  by  Christians,  but  by  many  heathens 


CONVERTING  INFLUENCE   OF  THE  SCHOOLS  319 

around  us.  Besides,  it  should  never  be  forgotten,  that, 
until  the  females  are  raised  by  education  so  as  to  hold  their 
proper  rank  in  society,  and  until  their  hearts  are  brought 
under  the  influence  of  Christianity,  there  is  little  hope  that 
the  people  of  India  will  rise  from  idoLatry  and  sin  to  the 
dignity  and  happiness  of  a  Christian  people." 

The  Batticotta  Seminary  "continues  to  be,  to  a  very  great 
extent,  our  principal  dependence  in  view  of  the  future  pros- 
perity of  Christianity  in  this  part  of  the  world.  Successive 
classes  rise  gradually  above  the  preceding  in  their  attain- 
ments, and  we  are  able  to  fix  our  terms  of  admission  higher, 
and  to  subject  candidates  to  a  more  rigid  examination." 

*'  There  has  been  a  class  of  professed  inquirers  varying 
fi'ora  forty  to  sixty.  Some  of  those,  it  is  expected,  will  be 
received  to  church  fellowship  soon.  We  have  reason  to 
think  that  the  church  is  rising,  both  as  to  her  views  of  doc- 
trine and  duty,  and  to  her  approaching  freedom  from  the 
'3'oke  of  bondage'  of  heathen  superstitions  and  national 
prejudices." 

"  The  whole  number  of  church  members  connected  with 
the  seminary,  including  six  teachers,  is  105."  31  of  the 
students  were  received  in  August  of  this  year.  The  whole 
number  received  into  the  Church  this  year  was  48,  showing 
that  the  presence  and  influence  of  the  Spirit  was  not  less 
marked  than  in  the  year  previous. 

Of  all  the  converts  of  the  mission  up  to  this  date  it  is 
said :  "In  our  printed  list  of  church  members  there  are  491 
names.  Of  these  311  have  been  educated  in  our  schools,  oi- 
are  now  in  a  course  of  education.  Many  of  the  remaining 
180  are  or  have  been  [heathen]  schoolmasters ^ 

What  more  unequivocal  testimony  to  the  value  of  these 
schools  is  possible?  Nearly  all  the  'converts  brought  under 
Christian  teaching  and  influence^  and  converted  to  God,  by  means 
of  these  schools  I 


320  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 


Success  of  the  Schools  in  training  Native  Helpers. 

In  1841,  the  mission  found  so  mucli  progress  had  been 
made  in  overcoming  the  prejudices  and  opposition  of  the 
people  by  means  of  their  schools,  that  they  could  modify 
their  regulations  and  require  the  students  of  the  seminary  to 
furnish  their  own  clothes,  and  give  security  for  the  subse- 
quent payment  of  their  board — a  decided  step  in  advance, 
which  greatly  encouraged  the  missionaries.  The  religious 
interest  in  the  seminary  is  indicated  by  the  statement  that: 
"  There  are  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  who  wish  to  be  re- 
garded as  candidates  for  church  membership.  We  hope 
some  of  them  will  prove  themselves  worth}^" 

"  To  show  to  what  extent  the  seminary  is  accomplishing 
its  object  of  training  native  helpers  in  the  missionary  work,  the 
missionaries  stated  more  than  two  years  ago,  that  of  those 
who  had  passed  through  its  course  of  stud}^,  sixty-seven^'''  ex- 
clusive of  eight  teachers  in  the  seminary,  one  of  whom  was 
a  preacher,  '^  were  in  the  employment  of  different  missions 
in  Ceylon  and  Southern  India.  Four  of  them  were  preach- 
ers, and  others  were  preparing  for  that  office. 

In  1842  "a  theological  class  of  eight"  is  reported  in  the 
Batticotta  Seminary.  Of  the  schools  it  is  said :  "  The  school 
system  is  gradually  recovering  from  the  desolations  of  l^^ST. 
In  the  centre  stands  the  nohU  seminary y  Of  the  value  of 
these  schools  in  the  estimation  of  the  missionaries  and  of 
the  Board  at  that  date,  what  better  proof  is  possible  than 
the  prompt  vigilance  and  energy  with  which  they  were  re- 
sumed, after  the  terrible  disaster  whicli  disbanded  them  in 
1837  had  a  little  subsided  ?  This  year  the  seminary  reports 
207  pupils ;  and  some  70  free  schools,  with  the  English  and 
other  boarding-schools,  present  the  sum  total  of  3541  pupils 
under  Christian  instruction. 

Direct  testimony,  too,  continues  to  be  placed  on  record  in 
most  unequivocal  terms.  The  pages  of  the  Herald  abound 
with  statements  like  the  following : 

"  There  are  no  such  occasions  for  sroino;  '  from  house  to 
house,'  and  of  holding  intercourse  with  the  people  '  in  seasoii 


SUCCKSS    IN   TKAIXTXG   NATIVK    IIEIJ'KHS.  321 

and  out  of  season,'  and  no  such  occasions  for  going  about 
doing  good  to  soul  and  body,  and  certainly  no  such  oppor- 
tunities for  holding  friendly  intercourse  with  adults,  male 
and  female,  as  those  afforded  by  the  establislimcnt  of  a  sys- 
tem of  native  free  schools.  Itfurnulies^  prohahly^  the  happiest 
combination  of  influences  for  doing  good  to.  said  and  body  that 
can  p)ossibly  be  devised  by  the  missionary.  It  is  far  more  ac- 
ceptable to  the  people  of  this  country  tlian  would  be  the 
same  amount  of  expenditure  even  for  medical  purposes." 

Compare  with  this  testimony  the  fact  that  though  the  re- 
port of  last  year  gives  105  members  of  the  seminary  as  com- 
municants in  the  church,  the  wliole  membership  of  that 
church  this  year  is  reported  to  be  only  131.  And  also  tlie 
fact  before  mentioned,  that  of  the  first  491  admitted  to  the 
church,  oil  owed  their  conversion  to  being  pupils,  and 
many  of  the  remaining  180  were  converted  while  employed 
as  heathen  school-teachers. 

In  1843,  the  number  of  pupils  had  increased  to  more  than 
4000.  Eeviving  influences  had  also  come  down  upon  the 
schools,  and  while  reporting  the  admission  to  the  church  of 
fifteen  girls  from  the  boarding-school  in  March,  the  mission- 
aries add  :  "  We  have  reason  to  believe  that  a  few  more  are 
under  the  teachings  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  are  all — even 
the  least  of  them — in  the  habit  of  prayer,  which  has  been 
characteristic  of  the  school  from  its  commencement.  When 
a  girl  is  admitted  to  the  school,  this  is  the  first  lesson  taught 
by  her  little  associates,  not  by  our  request  or  interference, 
but  as  a  thing  of  course." 

Who  can  w^onder  that  the  missionaries  say  of  these 
schools:  "It  seems  impossible  that  in  this  way  the  families 
of  the  next  generation  should  not  be  greatly  modified  and 
improved.  In  our  efforts  to  bring  girls  under  instruction, 
the  influence  of  fathers  who  were  educated  in  our  native 
free  schools  in  the  early  stages  of  the  mission,  is  very  ser- 
viceable. These  fathers  are  comparatively  free  from  preju- 
dice against  Christianity  ;  and  they  have  a  vague  impres- 
sion that  it  is  well  for  their  children  to  become  acquainted 
with  it." 

14- 


J>22  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 


"  Though  Seed  lie  buried  long  in  Dust." 

If  any  fancy  that  the  unconverted  pupils  of  mission 
schools  become  the  worst  opposcrs,  let  them  ponder  the 
last  statement.  Let  them  consider,  too,  hundreds  of  cases 
like  the  following : 

"  When  at  Manepy,  in  1827-8,  I  was  pleased  with  the 
progress  of  a  lad  who  was  once  a  monitor  in  a  village 
school.  He  had  left  the  school  and  gone  to  his  fields  and 
gardens.  I  used  to  see  him  at  work  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
always  reproved  him,  but  he  used  generally  to  return  some 
saucy  answer.  One  Sabbath  afternoon  I  was  riding  to  the 
place  of  meeting,  and  seeing  him  at  work,  I  began  to  repeat 
the  fourth  commandment.  In  a  moment  he  caught  it  out 
of  my  mouth,  and  looking  significantly  at  my  horse,  said, 
'Nor  thy  cattle P  and  then  stopped.  After  preaching  at 
Manepy,  a  few  days  ago,  I  proposed  to  meet  those  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  inquirers,  and  was  surprised  to  see  this  very 
monitor  boy.  .  .  On  inquiring  the  cause  of  his  wishing 
to  be  a  Christian,  he  told  me  that  it  was  simply  the  truth 
which  he  had  formerly  learned  in  the  school,  adding :  '  He 
who  knows  his  Master's  will  and  does  it  not,  must  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes.'  He  quoted  many  passages  from  the 
Bible  readily  and  appropriately,  thus  giving  evidence  that 
he  still  remembers  what  he  then  learned,  and  that  the  hus- 
bandman has  encouragement  to  wait  in  hope." 

Next  to  the  band  of  living  converts  in  our  mission 
churches,  no  brighter  prospect  meets  the  eye  or  gladdens 
the  heart,  on  heathen  ground,  than  the  thousands  of  youth 
who  have  been,  or  are  being  educated  in  mission  schools. 

1844. — The  records  of  this  je^v  continue  to  abound  in 
facts  and  testimony  to  the  very  great  value  of  the  schools. 
The  missionaries  say  : 

"  The  entire  system  of  schools  is  itself  a  proclamation  of 
'peace  on  earth  and  good  will  toward  men,'  which  the 
wayfaring  man,  though  a  fool,  may  understand.  As  a 
means  of  access  to  the  adult  population,  moreover,  schools 
are  an  almost  indispensable  auxiliary  to  the  missionary." 


THE  NATIVE  ciiuiicn.  328 

The  Native  Church  gathered  from  the  Schools. 

A  brief  history  of  the  native  churcli  is  crowded  with  facts 
and  statements  as  follows  : 

''  The  native  church  in  Jaffna,  so  far  as  human  instrn- 
mentality  is  concerned,  is  the  offspring  of  the  school  estab- 
lishments in  the  disti'ict,  more  especially  of  the  mission 
boarding-schools.  This  might  be  clearly  shown  by  a  chro- 
nological notice  of  admissions  to  the  Church  from  the  year 
1819,  when  Gabriel  Tissera  and  Nicholas  Permander — the 
first  teachers  in  our  boarding  schools — were  received,  down 
to  the  present  time." 

*'  It  should  also  be  stated  that  those  precious  and  repeated 
seasons  of  revival  with  which  we  have  been  favored,  and 
"Nyhich  are  the  most  prominent  events  in  the  history  of  our 
mission,  were. always  closely  connected  with  the  boarding- 
schools. 

"  Hence,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  the  members  of  the 
Church  have  been  gathered,  not  from  the  general  mass,  but 
from  certain  select  classes  of  idolaters  who  have  been 
brought  under  the  influence  of  the  mission  from  secular 
considerations,"  namely,  the  desire  for  education. 

This  sketch  of  the  native  church  brings  to  view  the  fact 
that  of  460  living  communicants,  365  —  about  four  fifths 
—  owed  their  Christian  knowledge  and  conversion  to  the 
schools. 

As  a  general  result  of  all  past  experience,  the  missionaries 
write : 

"  We  are  now  prepared  to  say  in  conclusion,  that  in  every 
village  tJiroughout  ow  field,  which  can  be  statedly  reached  by 
the  missionary  for  the  purpose  of  preaching  the  Gospel — 
whether  it  be  weekly,  monthl}^,  or  quarterly — a  Tamil  free 
school  for  both  sexes  should  he  estahUshed  and  effidenthj  sus- 
tained . 

"It  is  for  the  Board  and  for  tlic  Christian  public  in 
America  to  determine  to  what  extent  men  and  money,  liiith 
and  prayer,  shall  be  made  subservient  to  a  vigorous  prose- 
cution of  the  work  we  have  in  hand.     But  1ft  it  not  bo  'i^n'- 


82-i  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

gotten  that  the  special  object  of  this  communication  is  to  re- 
concile the  minds  of  all  concerned  to  our  making  the  Tamil 
free  school  system  for  both  sexes,  coextensive  with  stated 
village  preaching. 

"/;i  a  ivord,  the  village  school  is  a  fulcrum^  ivith  the  aid  of 
which  the  combined  j^oioers  of  the  missionary  and  of  his  native 
assistcmts  may  be  made  to  bear  advantageously  uijon  the  mighty 
masses  to  be  moved  ;  and,  other  things  being  equal,  the  result  ivill 
he  in  proportion  to  the  length  and  solidity  of  the  lever  applied.'''' 

1845. — The  pupils  in  the  schools  this  year  show  an  in- 
crease of  1354,  the  whole  number  being  4080.  Of  some 
120  teachers  only  54  are  reported  as  members  of  the  church, 
showing  that  the  larger  proportion  were  still  '■''heathen 
teachers  y 

The  report  of  the  Board  says :  "  The  testimony  of  the 
three  brethren  from  the  Tamil  missions  as  to  the  value  of 
the  school  system,  is  united  and  strong.  They  say  it  has 
risen  in  their  estimation,  and  never  Avas  in  higher  repute." 

The  testimony  of  the  Home  Committee  is,  that  the  Tamil 
missions  "  are  conducted  on  principles  loog  tried,  and  which 
appear  to  have  the  sanction  of  experience  and  of  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church." 

A  refreshing  season  was  enjoyed  in  the  seminary  this 
year ;  a  meeting  for  inquiry  was  attended  by  some  50  stu- 
dents, of  whom  some  15  or  20  gave  "  some  evidence  of  hav- 
ing been  born  of  the  Spirit." 

1846. — The  number  of  pupils  slightly  diminished  this 
year,  but  the  schools  prospered,  and  "on  the  whole,  the 
seminarv  has  never  been  in  a  more  healthful  state  than  dur- 
ing  the  last  year."  A  gracious  influence  was  manifest  in  the 
schools,  "Christians  seem  revived  and  encouraged,  and  a 
great  majority  of  the  students  are  verj^  seriously  impressed." 
Several  students  and  pupils  of  the  girls'  boarding-school 
were  received  into  the  Church. 

1847. — The  annual  report  of  this  year  finds  jQothing 
worthy  of  higher  commendation  than  "  the  admirable  sys- 
tem of  schools  and  higher  seminaries  of  learning,  which 
forms  so  striking  a  feature  in  these  [Tamil]  missions." 


THE  OLD  HEATHEN  TEACHER.  825 


The  Old  Heathen  Teacher. 


The  reader  will  liave  observed  that  in  the  first  years  of 
this  mission  all  its  native  teachers  were  heathen — that  up  to 
the  present  date  the  larger  proportion  of  the  teachers  em- 
ployed were  heathen,  though  many  of  them  had  thus  been 
brought  under  the  influence  of  Christian  truth  and  converted. 
It  is  well  to  mark  the  blessing  of  God  which  rested  so  large- 
ly upon  these  schools,  and  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  so 
many  of  these  teachers.  Nathaniel  is  an  instance  of  one  of 
tiiese  teachers  who  long  resisted  the  truth.  He  was  em- 
ployed for  many  years  as  a  teacher  of  Tamil  in  the  semi- 
nary. The  following  biief  account  of  his  conversion  is  from 
tlie  pen  of  one  of  the  missionaries. 

"  Through  all  his  former  labors  with  us,  he  was  a  consist- 
ent heathen,  and  vv'as  often  designated  as  *  the  devout  hea- 
then.' He  now  seems  as  decided  and  devout  in  the  Christian 
way.  Though  he  had  received  much  instruction  in  the  doc- 
trines of  Christ,  and  through  the  course  of  many  years,  jet 
he  steadily  pursued  his  mystic  studies,  and  took  one  step 
after  another  in  the  prescribed  course  of  Hindu  religious 
hfe.  A  few  montlis  ago  he  was  doubtless  cherishing  the 
sentiment  that  in  his  next  birth  he  should  be  near  the  gods. 
After  his  dismission  from  our  service,  he  had  several  classes 
of  disciples  whom  he  led  on  in  the  same  alluring,  delusive 
path.  While  thus  engaged,  he  was  brought  very  low  by 
sickness,  'nigh  unto  death,'  indeed,  as  he  supposed.  It  was 
then,  as  he  says,  that  'God  spake  to  his  heart,  reminded 
him  of  the  Christian  instruction  which  he  had  received,  and 
made  him  feel  his  sins  and  his  lost  condition.'  As  soon  as 
he  was  able  to  walk  so  far,  he  came  to  me  and  declared  his 
purpose  to  be  a  Christian.  Since  that  time  he  has  given 
increasing  evidence  of  having  been  '  born  of  the  Spirit.' 
The  day  previous  to  his  reception  to  the  Church,  I  asked 
him  if  he  intended  to  be  baptized  by  his  heathen  name. 
'  Oh !  no/  said  he,  '  I  must  have  a  new  name.  I  wish  to 
have  all  new.'  He  chose  the  name  of  Nailianiel^  in  view  of 
John  1  :  47." 


826  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

This  man  at  once  consecrated  his  cliildren  to  Christ  in 
baptism,  and  entered  upon  the  Christian  life  with  mature 
knowledge  and  full  purpose  of  heart.  In  184^  the  whole 
number  of  pupils  reported  in  this  mission  is  4640,  and  about 
half  the  teachers  had  become  members  of  the  Church. 

The  reports  of  the  mission  are  crowded  with  direct  testi- 
mony to  the  value  of  the  schools.  After  giving  a  series  of 
facts  as  the  basis  of  his  conclus'on,  Mr,  Fletcher  writes: 
"  Thus  you  see  that  a  thorough  Christian  education  is  one 
of  the  most  powerful  levers  by  which  to  overthrow  the  su- 
perstitions of  India.  The  system  of  education  here  is  full 
of  hope  to  this  people.  A  young  man  who  has  passed 
through  our  common  schools  and  the  seminary,  although 
he  may  not  be  a  professed  Christian,  and  may  mingle  with 
the  heathen,  still  can  not  be  such  a  heathen  as  he  otherwise 
might  be.  His  mind  has  received  such  a  shape,  that  it  can 
never  for  one  moment  admit  the  truth  of  the  system  of  idol- 
atry. Thus  he  never  will  be  a  sincere  worshipper  at  its 
shrines,  nor  a  zealous,  conscientious  inculcator  of  its  prin- 
ciples. There  is  also  a  growing  conviction  among  all  classes, 
that  the  missionaries  are  right ;  that  they  teach  the  truth, 
and  are  seeking  the  welfare  of  the  people."  Mr.  Rowland 
writes  :  "I  must  not  neglect  to  mention  what  an  interesting- 
field  for  preaching  the  Gospel  I  have  among  the  700  child- 
ren in  my  free  schools."  And  after  stating  the  influence  of 
true  secular  knowledge  on  their  minds,  he  adds:  "Thej^ 
are  made  familiar,  too,  with  the  Bible  and  with  the  whole 
plan  of  salvation.  From  the  first  day  they  came  into  the 
school,  they  have  heard  these  truths.  Scripture  lessons  and 
Scripture  reading  form  the  great  part  of  every  day's  instruc- 
tion. I  often  resolve  that  I  will  spend  more  of  mj'  time  in 
these  schools,  with  the  conviction  that  it  is  perhaps  my  most 
hopeful  field  for  preaching  the  Gospel." 

Some  23ersons  have  advanced  the  idea  that  so  much  atten- 
tion to  mission  schools  by  the  missionary  must  detract  from 
his  time  and  strength  for  oral  preaching.  On  this  point 
doubtless  the  experience  of  every  missionary  would  accord 
with  that  of  Mr.  Smith,  who  says:  "  The  care  of  the  schools 


TESTIMONY   OF   NATIVE   CONVKirrs.  o27 

is  not,  and  never  has  been  a  hindrance  to  my  going  among 
the  natives.  ...  I  regard  these  schools  as  a  very  im- 
portant connecting  link  between  us  and  the  lieathen.  To 
cut  them  off,  to  any  great  extent,  woukl  greatly  diminish  our 
means  of  access  to  the  people.  The  fact  is  ivorlJiy  of  notice^ 
that  all  luho  have  come  to  this  field  loith  strong  prejudices  against 
schools^  and  strongly  in  favor  of  preachirtg  as  the  only  means  to 
be  used,  have^  as  soon  as  they  have  really  entered  into  the  ivork, 
seen  and  felt  that  schools  are  a  very  im^oortant  means  of  getting 
access  to  the  peoioUy 

'  Thus,  instead  of  the  schools  being  any  hindrance  to  oral 
preaching,  experience  amply  shows  that  they  furnish  oppor- 
tunities for  stated  oral  preaching  ten  times  as  often  and  to 
twenty  times  as  many  hearers,  as  would  be  possible  Avithout 
them. 

In  18  ±9  the  number  of  pupils  was  3485,  and  the  con- 
trolling influence  of  the  schools  in  favor  of  Christianity  wa^s 
such  that  the  Romanists  and  Hindus  found  it  best  to  resort 
to  the  same  agency  in  their  efforts,  but  found  it  necessary  to 
introduce  the  Bible  into  their  schools  to  win  popular  favor. 
Fitly  do  the  missionaries  say:  "Understanding  these  facts, 
no  one  can  be  at  a  loss  as  to  the  bearing  of  our  seminary  at 
the  present  time  on  the  best  interests  of  our  cause,  as  well  as 
on  the  general  prosperity  of  the  land."  It  was  these  schools 
which  enabled  them  to  say  :  "A  broad  foundation  for  future 
success  has  been  laid  in  the  dissemination  of  Gospel  truth 
throughout  the  province." 

The  spontaneous  testimony  of  the  native  converts  refers 
the  blessed  change  that  had  come  over  the  province  to  these 
same  schools.  "  It  is  the  privileges  of  this  seminary,"  they 
say,  "that  have  raised  us  in  point  of  civilization,  education, 
and  religion.  .  .  .  Since  the  establishment  of  this  semi- 
nary and  other  schools,  the  people  are  greatly  improved  in 
their  customs  and  manners ;  and  deserve,  we  hope,  in  a  few 
years  to  come,  if  not  now  already,  to  be  ranked  in  a  higher 
class." 

After  enumerating  the  many  benefits  derived  from  the 
schools,  by  way  of  education  physical,  intellectual,  moral,  and 


328  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

religion?,  they  very  fitly  add  :  "In  short,  we  could  say  with 
tlie  blind  man  in  the  Gospel,  '  that  whereas  we  were  born 
blind,  now  we  see.'  "  Even  the  heathen  join  in  this  same 
testimony.  An  old  unconverted  moonshi,  noting  the  won- 
derful change  that  had  come  over  the  people,  exclaims:  "I 
seem  as  one  born  blind  and  now  just  made  to  see.  Every 
thing  is  so  changed  1" 

We  need  not  wonder,  then,  that  the  toiling,  hoping  mis- 
sionary writes  :  "  The  good  Avork  is  evidently  making  pro- 
gress, slowly  indeed,  for  God  does  all  things  without  haste ; 
and  I  can  not  but  hope  before  another  century  the  sun  will 
rise  upon  Christian  Jaffna,  and  that  this  little  spot  with  its 
Puritan  institutions,  the  village  church  and  school^  will  send 
out  influences  to  leaven  India." 

In  1850  the  number  of  pupils  in  the  schools  was  41G5. 
The  seminaries  continued  to  be  the  centres  of  religious  in- 
terest and  influence,  and  "  an  unusual  degree  of  religious 
feeling"  in  the  seminary  this  year,  was  "characterized  by 
unusual  quietness  and  depth  of  conviction.  Mr.  Howland 
remarked  that  he  had  not  seen  before  in  India,  such  deep 
conviction  for  sin.  It  appeared  more  like  the  operations  of 
the  Spirit  as  seen  in  America  than  like  those  he  had  hereto- 
fore seen  here.  Some  interest  is  felt  by  nearly  all  the  boys, 
and  some  12  or  15  are  hopeful  subjects  of  renewing  grace." 

In  the  statistics  of  this  j'car  are  recorded  the  fact  that  ot 
(380,  the  whole  number  of  converts  received  to  church  com- 
munion from  the  first,  300  were  educated  in  the  Batticotta 
Seminary,  and  180  in  the  Oodooville  boarding-school.  Of 
all  who  had  been  educated  in  the  Batticotta  Seminary,  fully 
three  fourths  had  become  church  members,  while,  in  the 
girls'  boarding-school  nearly  all  had  become  pious,  and  the 
numerous  Christian  families  are  spoken  of.  as  presenting  the 
brightest  hope  of  the  mission  for  coming  years. 

The  value  of  education  continued  to  increase  among  the 
natives,  and  crowds  of  candidates  pressed  for  admission — 
many  more  than  could  be  received,  even  though  the  mission 
had  changed  its  terms  and  required  the  full  pay  for  board  in 
advance. 


KLKVKXTH    RKVIVAI;    IN    TUE   SCHOOLS.  329 

111  1851  the  whole  number  of  pupils  was  some  4250.  Of 
these  more  than  500  were  students  of  English  in  15  schools, 
9  of  which  were  genei'ouslj  supported  by  the  government. 
The  seminary  continued. to  prosper.  "  It  has  afforded  us  a 
very  valuable  corps  of  native  assistants,  and  sent  abroad 
through  the  island,  a  large  number  who  are  well  instructed 
in  true  science  and  the  doctrines  of  Christianity."  The 
female  boarding-school  ''  has  exerted  a  wide  and  powerful 
influence  in  overcoming  the  prejudices  of  the  community 
against  female  education." 

Eleventh  Revival  in  the  Schools. 

The  mission  was  blessed  with  another  precious  revival 
this  year,  which  commenced,  as  the  previous  revivals  had 
done,  in  the  boarding-schools.  After  describing  the  prelim- 
inary indications  of  the  Spirit's  presence  in  the  schools,  the 
missionary  writes:  ''In  the  afternoon  there  was  an  unusual 
stillness  in  the  seminary,  except  as  it  was  broken  by  the 
voice  of  prayer.  Almost  every  countenance  had  an  expres- 
sion of  thoughtful  tenderness  and  solemnity.  At  the  close 
of  the  Bible  exercise  at  four  o'clock,  instead  of  going  out  to 
distribute  tracts  among  the  people,  as  is  usual,  the  church 
members  and  teachers  met  in  the  school-room,  and  were  soon 
joined  by  most  of  the  impenitent.  Their  voices  were  heard 
in  fervent  prayer  until  sunset.  At  our  evening  meeting, 
there  w^as  a  stillness,  such  as  exists  only  when  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  present.  At  the  close  of  the  exercise  many  lingered 
in  the  school- room ;  and  as  soon  as  they  were  left  alone, 
their  voices  were  heard  in  prayer.  It  was  after  ten  o'clock 
when  I  went  to  sleep,  and  they  were  still  praying.  I  learned 
the  next  day  that  they  continued  until  nearly  midnight;  and 
at  half-past  four  I  was  awakened  by  the  same  sound."  "  They 
have  held  a  morning  prayer-meeting  nearly  all  the  term ; 
but  never  before  had  I  heard  them  pray  so  early  or  so  fer- 
vently. It  was  not  merely  the  form  of  prayer,  but  the 
earnest  pleading  of  burdened  hearts ;  and  I  could  not  but 
feel  that  the  Lord  w^as  indeed  among  us,  stirring  them  up  to 


880  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

take  liold  of  him,  and  plead  his  promises ;  and  I  felt  that  a 
cloud  of  mercy  was  hovering  over  us. 

"  Though  they  had  gathered  so  early,  the  sun  had  risen, 
long  before  they  dispersed.  .  .  .  At  our  morning  devo- 
tions we  spent  an  hour  together,  and  then  went  on  with 
school  duties.  But  the  bell  for  twelve  o'clock,  which  released 
them  from  study,  had  hardly  done  linging,  when  the  voice 
of  prayer  was  heard  in  the  school-room.  At  first  only  a 
few  of  the  church- members  were  present;  but  as  they  con- 
tinued in  praj'er,  others  came,  until  nearly  all  the  members 
of  the  seminary  were  there.  Many  did  not  go  to  dinner. 
Some  who  entered  the  room  thoughtlessly,  and  because  they 
saw  others  going,  were  soon  in  tears  ;  and  church -members, 
Avho  seemed  lifeless  and  dead,  spoke  and  prayed  in  a  man- 
ner which  the  Spirit  onl}^  could  inspire.  The  Spirit  seemed 
literally  jJOMrec?  out ;  and  all  were  moved,  as  by  an  unseen  yet 
mighty  influence.  The  bell  rang  at  two  o'clock  to  call  them 
to  their  studies,  but  still  they  lingered  more  than  half  an 
hour ;  and  then  I  sent  and  advised  them  to  adjourn  until 
evening.  I  never  before  witnessed  such  a  simultaneous 
movement  on  so  many  minds,  when  there  was  no  special 
apparent  cause. 

"  Tuesday  was  spent  as  a  day  of  social  prayer;  and  it  was 
truly  a  most  solemn  and  interesting  day.  From  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning  until  nearl}^  midnight,  except  during  the 
public  meetings,  the  voice  of  prayer  might  be  heard  from 
the  class  and  pra3^er-rooms,  and  indeed  from  every  place 
where  one  could  be  alone  or  unite  with  others  in  small 
circles. 

''Much  prayer  was  offered  on  Saturday  that  the  Sabbath 
might  be  a  day  of  God's  power,  and  so  it  vv^as.  The  scenes 
of  that  da}^  it  is  not  easy  to  describe.  The  most  careless 
seemed  aroused;  and  on  qyqvj  countenance  there  was  a  solem- 
nity which  showed  the  inward  workings  of  the  spirit.  The 
interests  of  the  soul  seemed  the  only  topic  of  thought  and 
conversation.  Often  did  we  wish  that  the  patrons  of  these 
boj's  might  be  here  to  witness  what  we  did,  and  share  our 
joy.     They  would  have  felt  a  thousand  times  repaid  for  all 


ELEVENTH  REVIVAL  IN  THE  SCHOOLS.       831 

they  "have  clone.  To  us  that  Sabbath  was  a  day  never  to  be 
forgotten.  We  had  hoped,  but  hardly  dared  to  expect,  to 
see  such  scenes  in  this  dark  land;  and  we  could  hardly  be- 
lieve what  our  eyes  saw,  and  our  ears  heard." 

Shall  we  wonder  that  the  hearts  of  the  missionaries  be- 
came strongly  bound  to  institutions  thus  crowned  the  elev- 
enth time  with  such  a  choice  blessing  from  Heaven  ?  Shall 
we  wonder  that  the  Committee  upon  this  mission,  at  the  an- 
nual meeting  of  the  Board,  placed  on  record  that,  "  the  two 
very  important  schools  which  have  been  long  established 
on  '  Ceylon's  Isle,'  have  shared  largely  in  the  divine  bless- 
ing;" "and  results  of  a  desirable  and  permanent  character 
show  the  wisdom  of  the  plans  adopted  by  the  excellent  men 
who  first  went  to  that  field"  ? 

And  is  it  possible  that  at  this  very  time  doubts  were  being 
entertained  by  our  Secretaries  about  the  wisdom  of  con- 
tinuing these  institutions,  and  that  plans  were  being  formed 
for  their  suppression,  even  against  the  judgment  and  con- 
victions of  those  same  "  excellent  men"  ?  Let  us  not  antici- 
pate. A  flict  so  sad  needs  no  heralding,  and  results  so 
disastrous  as  followed  it  should  be  spoken  of  only  in  sorrow. 

In  1852  the  schools  were  prosperous,  and  the  testimony 
of  the  periodicals  of  the  Board  is :  "  The  village  schools  are 
spoken  of  as  '  still  worth  vastly  more  than  they  cost  as 
simple  instruments  of  preaching  the  word.'  "  "  The  in- 
fluence of  the  Batticotta  Seminary  and  of  the  female  board- 
ing-school is  'deepening  and  widening.'"  The  Annual 
Committee  speak  of  "  the  continued  and  spreading  influence 
of  the  seminary  and  boarding-school,"  and  complimenting 
the  "  fidelity  and  wisdom"  exhibited  in  the  conduct  of  the 
mission,  add:  "  It  is  also  a  signal  token  of  good  that  young 
men  educated  in  the  mission  schools,  and  fast  becoming  in- 
fluential and  valued  members  of  society,  are  helping  to  create 
a  public  sentiment  favorable  to  Christian  institutions." 

'*  Every  year  adds  to  the  evidence  that  our  plans  and  our 
course  have  been  laid  by  Him  who  had  far  more  foresight 
and  forethought  than  we  had," 

A  blessed  "  season  of  refreshing"  was   enjoyed   in   the 


8^2  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

sctiools,  to  the  results  of  which  a  brief  allusion  is  thus  made : 
"  Several  leading  members  of  the  Church  have  been  greatly 
revived  by  this  outpouring  of  the  Spirit."  "  They  seem  to 
speak  with  other  tongues  and  with  a  great  increase  of 
power." 

'  Three  schoolmasters  and  two  others  who  were  formerly 
teachers,  profess  to  have  experienced  a  change  of  heart,  and 
are  very  desirous  of  becoming  members  of  the  Church. 
Several  of  the  larger  girls  in  the  school  at  the  station  give 
more  or  less  evidence  of  having  passed  from  death  unto 
life."  The  pupils  of  the  other  schools  were  also  "deeply 
impressed  by  the  power  of  truth."  Thus  a  precious  work 
of  grace  was  often  eujoj^ed,  such  as  can  prevail  only  where 
the  elements  of  Christian  truth  have  become  fixed  in  minds 
and  hearts  by  a  long  course  of  stated  and  continuous  instruc- 
tion. 

1853. — The  report  of  this  year  shows  some  4242  pupils 
in  the  schools,  and  says :  "  The  missionaries  are  seeing 
more  and  more  of  the  fruit  of  what  lias  been  done  in  the 
schools  in  former  years."  They  have  proved  "emphatical- 
ly the  door  of  access  to  all  classes  of  the  people." 

Of  the  former  graduates  of  the  seminary  it  is  stated: 
"  Those  of  whom  we  have  hoped  the  least  and  feared  the 
most  have  shown  in  some  instances  that  the  labor  bestowed 
on  them  is  not  all  lost,  and  we  believe  facts  will  show  that 
as  few^  fail  of  fulfilling  the  high  object  for  which  they  arc 
educated,  as  in  Christian  lands,  and  fewer  than  we  should 
expect,  when  we  consider  '  the  hole  of  the  pit'  whence 
they  are  taken." 

This  statement  is  amph^  supported  by  facts.  Of  the  girls' 
boarding-school  it  is  shown  that  out  of  204  graduates  136 
were  church-members  when  they  left,  and  13  more  became 
so.  Of  the  753  who  had  been  admitted  into  the  Batticotta 
Seminary,  365  had  been  received  to  church-fellowship,  and 
103  were  still  students.  Of  those  who  had  graduated,  96 
were  in  the  service  of  the  mission,  "  a  fact  which  shows  the 
usefulness  of  the  school  in  the  way  of  furnishing  missionary 
helpers." 


TKSTIMONT   OF   REV.   DANIEL   POOK,    V.T).  3?,3 

Very  fitly  does  the  Annual  Committee  on  this  mission 
s:iy:  "  Several  precious  seasons  of  spiritual  refreshing  have 
been  enjoyed,  more  especially  in  the  mission  seminaries  and 
boarding-schools.  A  large  pro})ortion  of  the  members  of 
the  churches,  amounting  at  the  time  of  the  last  returns  to 
385,  have  been  educated  in.  the  mission  schools,  and  belong- 
to  the  more  influential  classes  of  society."  IIow  could  it  be 
otherwise  than  that  the  Committee,  and  officers,  and  patrons 
of  the  Board  should  appreciate  the  wisdom  and  fidelity  of 
"  the  good  men  and  women"  who  devised,  and  brought  into 
use  these  successful  agencies  of  the  Ceylon  mission  ? 

Testimony  of  the  Kev.  Daniel  Poor,  D.D, 

Among  the  faithful  and  devoted  missionaries  who  labored 
some  forty  years  in  this  mission,  it  is  fitting  that  the  testi- 
mony of  such  a  man  as  Dr.  Poor  find  a  brief  record  here ; 
all  the  more  so  as  the  convictions  of  his  lifetime  have,  in 
some  quarters,  been  misrepresented.  He  has  left  his  testi- 
mony in  utterances,  which  give  no  uncertain  sound,  as  fol- 
lows : 

"I  would  now  ask  whether  it  is  not  notorious,  that  by 
means  even  of  the  worst  conducted  mission  schools,  the 
Gospel  has  been  preached  to  adults  to  a  two-fold  greater 
extent  than  though  the  missionary  had  devoted  his  time 
exclusively  to  preaching  without  the  aid  of  mission  schools? 
My  observations  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  he  will  do  four 
times  the  amount  of  preaching  to  adults,  by  means  of  a  large 
circle  of  schools,  that  he  would  were  his  exclusive  business 
to  preach  without  them.  In  this  statement  I  give  due 
weight,  and  only  due  weight,  to  the  importance  of  address- 
ing persons  under  circumstances  favorable  for  securing  the 
ear,  to  say  nothing  of  the  kindly  and  respectful  feelings  of 
the  heart.  The  difiiculty  of  getting  a  hearing  from  adults, 
after  their  curiosity  has  been  gratified  by  heaaing  a  foreign* 
er  attempt  to  address  them  in  the  native  language,  can  never 
be  conceived  of  but  by  those  who  have  made  the  experi- 
ment.    To  preach  in   bazaars  and  in  the  highways  to  men 


831:  MISSION   SCHOOL^?. 

with  whom  we  have  uo  acquaintance,  and  over  whom  we 
have  no  influence,  but  bj  whom  we  are  regarded  with  deep- 
rooted  aversion,  or  with  dread,  is  like  sowing  seed  upon  a 
mighty  and  rapid  stream.  It  is  barely  possible  that 
some  grains  may  be  washed  to  the  river-side  and  take 
root. 

"  Attendance,  by  adult  heathens,  for  any  length  of  time,  at 
appointed  places  for  hearing  the  Gospel  preached,  is  a  thing 
scarcely  known  in  India.  If  a  man  wishes  to  attend,  he 
must  in  some  way  become  so  allied  to  the  missionary  that 
he  may  have  some  ostensible  reason  for  attending  that  will 
excuse  him  in  the  sight  of  his  countrymen.  It  is  still  more 
difficult  to  have  any  profitable  access  to  children  not  in  mis- 
sion schools,  than  to  adults.  They  are  indeed  like  wild. 
asses'  colts,  entirely  bej^ond  our  reach. 

"  It  is,  therefore,  a  question  of  immense  difficulty,  as  well 
as  of  importance,  to  every  one  who  would  preach  the  Gospel 
to  this  people,  What  is  the  medium,  or  method,  of  access  to 
them  for  the  purpose  of  delivering  the  Gospel  message  ? 

"This  question  I  have  deeply  pondered  in  ray  mind,  from 
year  to  year,  from  the  time  of  my  first  arrival  in  the  coun- 
try, and  have  adopted  diffi3rent  methods  at  different  periods. 
The  course  of  preaching  to  adults  which  I  review  with  the 
greatest  complacency,  is  that  of  having  preached  in  the 
villages,  by  previous  appointment,  in  the  school-bungalows 
connected  with  the  mission. 

"  Our  success  in  assembling  the  people  on  special  occa- 
sions, and  at  protracted  meetings,  was  in  close  connection 
with  the  influence  of  our  school  operations.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  what  is  done  in  the  way  of  tours,  and  addressing 
people  in  connection  with  the  distribution  of  books,  I  have 
known  but  little  of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen, 
but  in  close  connection  with  schools. 

"When  the  mission  schools  at  Jaffna  were  suspended  in 
consequence  of  pecuniary  embarrassments,  and  when  it 
would  seem  that  the  brethren  would  have  more  time  for 
preaching,  ytrr  less  preaching  ivas  done,,  actually,  and  I  would 
^^Jtfi'-'''  ^^-^'^  coulrl  he  done,  than  when  the  schools  were  in 


TESTIMONY   OF   REV.    DANIEL   POOIi,    D.I).  335 

operation.  Tlic  rea.sons  of  this  will  be  obvious  by  what  I 
have  before  stated. 

"  It  has  been  well  said,  and  may  be  clearly  shown,  that 
our  Lord,  in  his  ministry  on  earth,  combined  attention  to 
the  spiritual  wants  of  men  with  a  due  attention  to  their  te^n- 
poral  necessities.  There  is,  probably,  no  way  m  w4iich  a 
missionary  may  imitate  his  Master,  in  this  important  parti- 
cular, so  effectually,  economically,  and  unexccptionably,  as 
in  the  establishment  of  schools  throughout  the  whole  field 
in  which  it  is  his  intention  to  labor  as  a  preacher  of  the 
Gospel.  The  gratuitous  instruction  of  youth  is  charity 
of  a  high  order  in  the  estimation  of  the  heathen.  The 
monthly  stipend  of  two  dollars  is  sufficient  to  secure,  in  an 
important  sense,  to  the  cause  of  Christian  instruction,  the 
influence  of  one  of  the  principal  men  of  a  village.  It  gives 
support  to  a  family,  the  effects  of  which  are  felt  throughout 
the  neighborhood.  The  school  is  a  key  to  the  village. 
There  the  missionary  has  a  friend  and  a  home.  There  is  a 
demand  for  school-books,  and  an  authorized  opening  for  the 
distribution  of  books  of  all  kinds.  The  books  we  are  desir- 
ous of  placing  in  the  hands  of  the  children  are  the  books 
Tvhich  the  parents  can  most  profitably  use. 

"  In  my  present  situation  it  is  my  high  privilege,  as  be- 
fore mentioned,  to  give  myself  exclusively  to  the  work  of 
preaching  the  Gospel.  And  hence  it  is  that  I  have  been 
induced  to  carry  the  school  establishment  to  its  present  ex- 
tent. Any  abridgment  of  it  would,  I  conceive,  proportion- 
ably  abridge  my  means  of  access  to  the  people  for  the  pur- 
pose of  delivering  my  message. 

"  The  foregoing  remarks  relate  to  the  bearings  of  the 
school  establishment  upon  the  adult  population.  But  its 
bearings  upon  the  rising  generation,  as  furnishing  the  best 
opportunities  for  preaching  the  Gospel  to  them,  are  no  less 
important.  Even  on  the  most  unfiivorable  supposition,  that 
no  child  is  converted  while  a  member  of  the  school,  a  great 
work  of  preparation  has  been  done  to  aid  succeeding  mis- 
sionaries in  preaching  the  Gospel  to  adults.  The  genei-ation 
of  heathens  now  coming  npon  the  stage  of  life  at  Jaffna,  or 


336  MISSION  SCHOOLS, 

at  an}'  other  place  where  mission  schools  have  been  long  in 
operation,  are  a  different  race  from  their  fathers,  and  fairer 
candidates  for  the  eternal  inheritance,  b}"  means  of  the  Gos- 
pel now  preached  to  them.  Herein,  also,  is  that  saying 
verified,  '  One  soweth  and  another  reapeth  ;'  and  it  may  not 
be  easy  to  determine  which  of  the  two  were  the  most  success- 
ful preacher.  Dr.  Watts  observed  that  were  he  to  retrace 
his  steps,  as  a  bishop  of  souls,  he  w^ould  spend  a  larger  por- 
tion of  his  time  in  catechetical  instructions  w^ith  young 
children.  If  that  would  have  been  wise  in  a  Christian 
country,  how  vastly  more  important  must  such  instructions 
be  in  heathen  lands !  And  such  instructions  form  a  promi- 
nent feature  in  every  w^  ell -regulated  mission  school.  It  is 
true  there  are  drawbacks  arising  from  the  influence  of  hea- 
then school-masters,  heathen  parents,  and  heathenism  in  all 
its  dreadful  forms.  But  this  is  the  very  nature  of  mission 
service.  It  is  a  fierce  onset  upon  the  great  adversary  of 
God  and  men,  and  a  fearful  struggle  with  him  in  his  own 
strongholds." 

After  the  observation  and  experience  of  a  quarter  of  a 
century  Dr.  Poor  recorded  it  as  his  firm  conviction,  that 

"^  system  of  native  free  schools  furnishes  probably  the  hap- 
piest combination  of  influences  for  doing  good  to  soul  and  body 
that  can  possibly  be  devised  by  the  missionary.     It  is  far  more 
accejytable  to  the  people  of  this  country  than  the  same  amount  of 
expendAture  even  for  medical  pur  poses. '''' 

In  1854  the  whole  number  of  pupils  was  4206.  Of  these, 
93  were  in  the  seminary,  85  in  the  girls'  boarding-school, 
and  about  500,  as  usual,  in  the  English  schools,  the  rest 
being  in  the  vernacular  free  schools. 

The  Missionary  Herald  still  affirms  that:  "  The  influence 
of  the  educational  labors  of  the  mission  are  seen  every  w^here. 
.  .  The  standard  of  attainment  in  the  English  schools  is 
constantly  advancing.  Of  the  value  of  the  education  ob- 
tained in  the  seminary  at  Batticotta,  and  in  the  boarding- 
school  at  Oodooville,  the  eagerness  of  parents  to  place  their 
children  in  these  institutions  is  decisive  proof  That  the 
truths  of  Christianity  are  not  neglected  is  apparent  from  tlie 


THE   SCHOOLS  SUPPRESSED.  337^ 

number  of  pupils  who  have  been  admitted  to  the  household 
of  faith."  •  On  this  point  it  is  very  significant  that  while  the 
whole  number  of  living  communicants  is  reported  this  year 
to  be  only  895,  the  number  of  church-members  received 
from  the  seminary  in  all  was  reported  hist  3^ear  to  be  385, 
and  from  the  girls'  boarding-school,  130=521.  After  mak- 
ing due  allowance  for  the  number  of  deaths,  and  pupils  re- 
ceived to  the  Church  from  the  other  schools,  it  becomes 
evident  that  the  blessing  of  God  has  rested  preeminently 
on  these  schools,  making  them  the  chief  agency  in  propa- 
gating Christianity  in  the  district  of  Jaffna. 

1855-6. — We  have  traced  the  educational  history  of  this 
mission  from  its  origin.  We  have  seen  how  the  blessing  of 
God  came  down  upon  its  schools,  converting  the  pupils  and 
teachers,  gladdening  the  hearts  of  the  missionaries,  and  eli- 
citing from  the  Board  and  its  Committees  and  patrons,  here 
at  home,  resolutions  of  commendation  to  those  who  planned 
and  conducted  these  schools,  and  devout  thanksgiving  to 
God  for  his  blessing  upon  them. 

The  Schools  Suppressed! 

And  now  shall  we  record  the  terrible  disaster  which  befell 
this  mission  in  1855  ?  Shall  we  describe  in  detail  the  un- 
happy action  of  the  Deputation,  which  disbanded  many  of 
the  free  schools,  and  disallowed  the  Batticotta  Seminary  ?■< 
That  seminary  was  the  brightest  hope  of  the  land,  the 
choicest,  most  ho})eful  result  of  the  40  years  of  patient 
and  laborious  toil  in  that  mission.  In  the  expressive  lan- 
guage of  S.  Merwin,  one  of  its  own  graduates :  "  Jaffna  is 
the  eye  of  Ceylon,  and  tJie  Batticotta  Seminary  the  pupil  of 
that  eye." 

It  had  been  nurtured  with  prayers,  watered  with  tears 
and  the  dews  of  heaven's  grace,  and  grown  into  the  affec- 
tions, loving  sympathy,  and  confidence  of  praying  men  and 
women  in  all  parts  of  America.  Its  more  than  850  converts  - 
were  the  witness  of  God's  approval  and  blessing  upon  it. 
Is  it  possible  that  upon  this  favored  institution,  the  bright^:. 

15 


338  :!tfissiox  schools. 

est  light,  tlie  most  effective  ageiic}^  of  the  mission,  a  Depu- 
tation of  good  men  from  America  laid  their  hand,  and  de* 
prived  it  of  its  power?  Oh!  that  this  action  could  be  as 
if  it  had  not  been  I  Oh  !  that  the  lamentations  of  the  dear 
fathers  in  this  mission,  as  they  saw  this  institution  smitten 
down,  could  be  like  dreams  from  which  there  may  be  a 
pleasant  awaking.  But  no,  the  action  was  taken,  and  the  dis- 
aster has  become  a/«c^  in  all  its  stern  and  sorrowful  reality. 

We  cast  no  reproach  upon  the  Deputation  or  those  who 
sent  them  ;  but  we  do  pray  God  to  forgive  them,  believing 
that  they  knew  not  what  they  did.  Oh  !  that  this  page  of 
missionary  history  could  be  blotted  out  forever,  by  undoing 
the  acts.  But  as  this  can  not  be,  may  our  churches  and 
missionary  societies  gain  from  it  the  lessons  which  God 
would  have  them  learn. 

I  would  not  intimate  that  the  action  suppressing  these 
schools  was  in  direct  opposition  to  tbe  views  and  wishes  of 
all  the  missionaries.  No.  The  saddest  of  all  the  results  of 
this  authoritative  Deputation  is  to  be  seen  in  the  divided 
councils^  and  the  breaches  of  Christian  sympathy  and  love, 
caused  among  brethren  who  had  long  labored  and  prayed 
together  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  brotherhood,  breaches 
the  healing  of  which  will  be  one  of  the  most  precious 
triumphs  of  God's  grace. 

During  both  these  3^ears  the  customary  annual  commit- 
tees on  this  mission  have  no  reports  recorded  in  the  Annual 
Eeport  of  the  Board,  an  ominous  silence  !  The  Committee, 
in  1855,  did  indeed  present  a  report,  faithfully  calling  in 
question  the  doings  of  the  Deputation ;  but  it  found  no 
place  in  the  printed  record.  Why  is  this  ?  Will  the  Pru- 
dential Committee  admit  no  statements  into  their  records, 
from  their  own  committees  even,  unless  they  be  in  tlieir 
praise?  But  let  us  cast  a  mantle  of  charity  over  their 
doings,  though  we  cease  not  to  grieve  for  the  disaster  they 
brought  upon  the  missions.  Against  the  wisdom  of  their 
action  in  suppressing  these  schools,  this  brief  statement  of 
Father  Span] ding,  our  oldest  living  missionary  on  Ceylon, 
should  be  engraved  as  a  perpetual  record  and  testimon}',  till 


THE   SCHOOLS  SUPPRESSED.  839 

the  heathen  sliall  be  all  converted.  This  dear  old  missiona- 
ry, speaking  from  the  depths  of  his  soul,  and  his  own  per- 
sonal experience  of  nearly  forty  years'  labor  in  the  mission, 
still  standing  amidst  the  ruins  of  these  schools,  nobly  testi- 
fies :  "  The  simple  preaching  of  the  Gospel  among  the  p)eople  of 
India,  when  catechisms  and  Scrip)ture  history  are  not,  and  have 
not  been,  taught  to  the  children,  has,  thus  far,  had  very  little 
effect.  Conversion  simply  hy  preaching,  as  the  term  is  gene- 
]'ally  used,  is  yet,  to  a  very  great  extent,  theory^ 

Speaking  of  the  reports  prepared  in  the  mission,  under 
the  influence  of  the  Deputation  laboring  to  justify  the 
changes  they  dictated.  Father  Spaulding  says :  "  To  restore 
things  to  their  right  position,  1  ivould  advise  the  entire  ignoring 
of  the  twenty-one  rejjortsy  So  deeply  was  he  penetrated  with 
the  conviction  that  those  rejDorts  misrepresented  the  honest 
judgment  of  the  missionaries,  and  perilled  the  dearest  inter- 
ests of  the  mission. 

The  special  meeting  at  Albany,  and  the  appointment  of  a 
special  committee  of  thirteen,  to  investigate  and  calm  the 
troubled  elements,  show  that  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the 
missionaries  and  many  friends  of  the  Board  were  deeply 
moved.  To  that  committee  Father  Spaulding  appealed  as  to 
his  last  hope.  Their  report  and  the  action  of  the  Board  at 
Newark  are  somewhat  known  to  the  public.  The  action 
of  the  Deputation  w^as  slightly  modified  in  some  respects, 
but  the  restrictions  resting  on  the  Batticotta  Seminary  were 
such  that  it  has  not  been  reopened  by  the  mission.  Its 
brightest  light  was  put  out,  and  this  desolation  was  wrought, 
not  by  an  enemy,  but  by  those  who  claim  to  be  the  best 
friends  of  the  cause. 

Peruse  again  the  history  of  God's  blessing  on  these 
schools.  Bead  over  the  repeated  resolutions  and  records  of 
the  Board  in  commendation  of  them,  and  who  would  beheve 
it  possible  that  they  could  have  come  to  such  an  end? 
When  they  were  disbanded  and  restricted  for  want  of  funds 
in  1837,  a  general  voice  of  lamentation  was  raised  by  all 
who  loved  the  Board.  Does  not  their  suppression  in  1866 
present  cause  for  deeper  and  more  prolonged  grief? 


CHAPTEE    VIII. 

SCHOOLS   OF   OUR   MADURA  AND   MADRAS   MISSIONS. 
M  A  D  U  K  A. 

1834. — The  Madura  mission  of  the  A.B.C.F.M.  was  com- 
menced in  1834.  The  record  is  :  "In  July  Mr.  Hoisington 
and  Mr.  Todd,  with  three  native  assistants,  commenced  a 
mission  here,  and  soon  established  two  small  schools — one 
for  each  sex." 

Importance  of  Schools. 

In  1835,  "  the  mission  was  employed  in  establishing 
schools  in  the  city  and  adjacent  villages." 

In  1836,  "Oct.  30,  a  church  was  organized,  with  nine  native 
members,  all  from  Jaffna.  Of  13  native  helpers,  8  had  been 
educated  at  Batticotta.  At  the  close  of  the  year,  37  schools 
had  been  opened,  of  which  30  were  in  operation — 9  in  Ma- 
dura, and  the  others  in  the  neighboring  villages.  They 
contained  1149  boys  and  65  girls."  All  the  teachers  of  these 
schools  were  heathen  or  Koman  Catholics.  "  No  others  could 
be  obtained,  and  even  if  they  could  be  obtained,  the  parents 
ivoidd  not  send  their  children  to  themP 

The  records  of  the  mission  bring  to  view  the  great  diffi- 
culty of  overcoming  the  fears  and  prej  udices  of  the  people, 
so  that  they  might  be  willing  to  send  their  children  to 
school,  and  expresses  a  very  high  estimate  of  the  value  of 
these  schools.  "  The  schools  accomplish  several  important 
objects.  They  will  raise  up  a  numerous  class  of  good  read- 
ers.    Yery  few  of  the  people  can  now  read  fluently." 


IMPORTANCE  OF  SCHOOLS.  341 

"Again,  by  means  of  schools  we  gain  access  to  tlie  parents 
of  the  children,  and  their  friends.  Most  of  the  people  attach 
some  value  to  schools.  By  our  giving  their  children  an 
education,  they  see  and  acknowledge  that  we  are  their  bene- 
factors." 

"  In  the  city  we  have  two  schools  for  teaching  the  Eng- 
lish language  and  science.  The  number  of  scholars  in  both 
is  89." 

The  value  of  these  schools,  in  the  estimation  of  European 
friends,  is  attested  by  frequent  and  generous  donations  for 
their  support. 

Three  Brahman  j^ouths  from  the  English  school  are  men- 
tioned as  the  first  inquirers,  and  the  hope  expressed  that 
they  were  "  under  the  guidance  of  the  good  Spirit." 

1837. — The  two  first  converts  of  this  mission  were  re- 
ceived into  the  Church  the  30th  of  July  this  3^ear ;  their 
names  were  Joseph  and  Kamache.  Both  had  been  in  the 
employment  of  the  mission,  and  thus  came  under  the  influ- 
ence and  teaching  of  the  truth.  It  is  distinctly  stated  that 
one  was  a  teacher^  and  probably  the  other  was  also.  This 
was  the  year  of  the  terrible  retrenchment  for  want  of  funds, 
and  it  pressed  hard  upon  this  as  well  as  upon  the  other  mis- 
sions. After  dismissing  some  of  their  pupils,  one  of  the 
missionaries  writes :  "  It  would  have  awakened  no  slight 
emotion  in  the  bosom  of  benevolence,  to  see  those  girls  rise 
from  their  knees  and  go  fi'om  the  famil}^  altar  to  hide  behind 
the  pillars  of  our  verandah,  and  weep.  Yes,  they  could  not 
refrain ;  and  what  added  to  my  sorrow,  was  that  our  Saviour 
had  said :  '  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid 
them  not,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  His  word 
has  been  confirmed  by  his  providence  and  grace  at  Oodoo- 
ville.  Not  one  girl  has  ever  left  that  institution  who  did 
not  profess  attachment  to  Jesus.  And  who  is  it  that  forbids 
these  ?  The  disciples  did  it  before,  and  it  was  not  an  enemy 
that  forbid  them  now,  else  we  could  have  borne  it.  .  .  . 
If  I  had  a  voice  that  could  reach  half-way  round  tlie  globe, 
I  would  cry,  not  only  in  behalf  of  the  girls  of  Dindigul  and 
Madura,  but  of  Madras  and  Ceylon  and  Bombay  and  all 


842  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

Asia :  '  Come  over  and  lielp  us ;  send  us  money,  if  you  do 
not  wish  to  come  yourselves.'  " 

In  June  of  tliis  year  the  schools  had  increased  to  60,  with 
2284  scholars.  "  Nearly  all  must  have  been  closed,  had  not 
the  Madras  government,  learning  the  circumstances,  made 
an  unexpected  donation  of  £300  sterling  for  their  support." 

"Of  the  school-teachers  employed  by  the  mission,  two  are 
Protestants,  four  Eoman  Catholics,  and  the  others  heathen." 
"  We  attach  great  importance  to  our  schools,  as  means  of 
access  to  the  people."  "  We  had  several  applications  for 
admission  to  the  Church  from  school-masters,  whose  minds 
have  evidently  been  enlightened  by  the  truths  of  the  Gos- 
pel, if  not  their  hearts  converted." 

1838.— April  1st,  Mr.  Poor  writes  :  "  The  whole  number 
of  schools  is  59  ;  average  of  pupils,  2173."  He  speaks  of 
the  schools  "as  so  many  lights  held  out  in  this  benighted 
city."  Of  the  school-system  he  says :  "  It  holds  out  the  fair- 
est prospect  for  bringing  the  overtures  of  the  Gospel  before 
the  minds  of  the  people  at  large.  When  I  converse  pri- 
vately with  our  school-masters,  and  urge  upon  them  the 
immediate  claims  of  the  Gospel,  there  is  a  response  to  the 
truth  which  is  not  witnessed  in  the  case  of  the  uninstructed. 
Thus  it  is,  to  some  extent,  with  the  monitors  and  children 
Tvho  are  brought  under  instruction  in  the  schools." 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  how  closely  this  testimony  accords 
with  our  experience  in  the  Ahmednuggur  mission,  where  all 
our  best  native  preachers  and  helpers  were  brought  under 
Christian  instruction  and  converted  to  God,  while  employed 
as  heathen  teachers,  or  while  pupils  in  the  seminary. 

In  1839  the  mission  reports  73  native  free  schools,  besides 
English  and  boarding-schools  at  all  the  stations.  Their  esti- 
mate of  the  schools  is  clearly  indicated  in  all  their  letters 
and  reports.  Of  their  preaching  audiences  they  say:  "They 
embrace  about  two  thirds  of  the  pupils  of  the  English  school, 
the  school-masters  of  the  city,  persons  employed  in  mission 
families,  and  a  few  occasional  attendants."  No  stated  attend- 
ants but  those  connected  with  the  schools  or  families.  "  The 
obvious  and  substantial  advantages  of  our  schools  go  far  to- 


nirpRTAXCE  OF  SCHOOLS,  343 

wards  reconciling  the  parents  to  the  prominence  we  give  to 
Cliristianity  in  all  our  printed  books,  and  our  whole  course 
of  instruction — such  a  prominence  as  would  be  tolerated  in 
but  few  schools  in  Christian  lands."  "  The  scholars  exhibit 
a  deportment  every  way  encouraging  to  the  missionary. 
Some  of  the  older  boys  have  asked  for  bai)tism."  "  Boys 
in  the  boarding-school  are  the  most  attentive  audience." 
''  Were  there  funds  at  command,  a  blow  miglit  now  bo 
struck  that  would,  -soon  make  heathenism  ashamed.  I  know 
of  no  object  to  which  I  would  more  cheerfully  contribute. 
To  pluck  these  heathen  youth  from  the  paths  of  the  de- 
stroyer, and  to  place  them  where  they  can  be  trained  for 
doing  good,  instead  of  evil,  is  an  object  worthy  of  the 
prayers  and  contributions  of  all  who  love  the  cause  of  truth. 
Does  not  the  finger  of  God  point  to  this  as  the  plain  duty 
of  the  Church?  Will  it  be  said,  the  expense  can  not  be 
afforded?  Let  the  results  of  the  Ceylon  mission  be  com- 
pared with  those  of  missions  in  India  generally,  and  it  would 
appear,  so  as  not  to  be  misunderstood,  that  we  can  not  afford 
to  do  otherwise." 

In  view  of  the  character  and  results  of  these  schools.  We 
do  not  wonder  that  the  editor  of  the  Missionary  Herald  re- 
marks :  "All  these  efforts  are  so  directed  as  to  have  a  poW* 
erful  and  salutary  religious  bearing  on  both  pupils  arid 
teachers.  Prohably  in  no  other  manner  can  the  same  number 
of  children  and  yoatli  he  hrowjht  under  so  steady  and  favorable 
a  religious  inflnencey 

In  18-iO  the  mission  reports  96  free  schools,  with  30^7 
pupils,  and  6  boarding-schools,  with  109  pupils, 

This  rapid  enlargement  in  school  operations  show^s  deafly 
the  high  estimate  the  missionaries  put  upon  them,  and  their 
reports  and  letters  abound  in  evidence  to  the  same  effect. 
After  stating  the  number  and  character  of  their  schools, 
they  add:  "Thus  it  appears,  that  on  our  present  scale  of 
operations,  we  are  j^earl}^  sending  out  into  this  heathen  coni- 
munity  a  thousand  lads,  who  in  a  short  time  are  to  take  the 
places  of  their  fathers,  with  minds  somewhat  enlightened, 
and  memories  stored  with  all  the  important  and  saving  doc- 


o-l-i:  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

trines  of  the  Bible.  The  great  majority  of  these,  we  may 
safely  say,  but  for  our  schools,  would  grow  up  under  the 
most  heathen  and  demoralizing  influences,  with  scarcely  a 
single  counteracting  good  influence.  The  parents  of  the 
families  to  which  these  thousand  boys  belong,  must,  of  ne- 
cessity, listen  to  the  recital  of  some  gospel  truth,  to  which, 
till  now,  they  were  entire  strangers.  It  is  not  an  uncom- 
mon thing,  in  passing  along  the  streets,  to  be  hailed  by  men 
repeating  some  of  the  simple  questions  and  answers  of  our 
first  catechism.  From  these  facts,  and  many  others  of  which 
we  are  in  possession,  it  appears  to  us  evident  that  a  leaven 
is  working,  which,  under  the  divine  blessing,  must  eventu- 
ally produce  a  great  moral  change  in  this  mass  of  heathen 
population.  This  is  only  one  view,  of  many  which  might 
be  taken  of  our  common  free-school  system.  In  the  school- 
room we  often  find  our  largest  and  best  congregations." 

A  Little  Boy  seven  years  old  asking  Baptism. 

"  The  boarding-school  contains  21  boys,  most  of  whom 
are  jnaking  good  progress  in  their  studies,  and  I  have  some 
reason  to  hope  that  a  few  are  seeking  that  wisdom,  the  be- 
ginning of  which  is  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  One  little  boy 
seven  years  old,  the  smallest  in  the  school,  and  from  a 
heathen  family,  asked  me  some  timiC  since  to  baptize  him. 
I  sent  him  away  with  some  slight  remark,  as  I  supposed  it 
a  mere  childish  notion,  which  had  arisen  from  his  having 
seen  the  children  of  the  mission  families  baptized.  After 
some  time,  he  came  again  with  the  same  request.  I  asked 
him  why  he  wished  to  receive  baptism  ?  He  replied  that 
he  was  a  sinner,  and  wished  to  be  born  again,  that  he  might 
become  one  of  God's  children — with  other  remarks  of  the 
kind.  A  few  days  afterwards  I  called  on  him  and  repeated 
the  same  questions,  to  which'  ho  replied  as  before.  '  You 
told  me,'  I  said,  '  that  you  wished  to  be  baptized  so  that  you 
might  be  born  again,  and  become  a  child  of  God.  Do  you 
think  that,  by  receiving  baptism,  you  will  be  born  again  ?' 
He  replied :   'If  I  hate  and  forsake  every  sin,  and-)x^li(^ve  in 


A  1JTTIJ-;    P,OV  OF   SEVEN  YEARS  ASK  IXC    BAITIS^F.     >M5 

Christ,  and  pray  to  God,  and  he  gives  me  his  Hol}^  Spirit, 
then  I  shall  be  born  again.'  '  But  you  are  a  little  boy,  and 
if  you  become  a  Christian  your  friends  may  persecute  you, 
and  tell  you  that  you  must  forsake  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
What  will  you  say  when  they  do  so?'  He  answered  by  a 
single  but  very  emphatic  Tamil  word  :  '  I  will  not.'  '  But 
are  you  able  to  do  this  by  your  own  strength  ?'  '  If  God 
give  me  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  I  pray  to  him,  I  shall  have 
strength.'  '  Do  you  commit  sin  now  ?'  I  nsked.  '  No,  sir.' 
'Do  you  never  tell  lies?'  'No,  sir,  not  now;  when  I  was 
a  heathen  I  told  lies,  but  none  since.'  '  Do  you  never  get 
angry?'  He  hung  down  his  head  as  he  acknowledged  that 
he  sometimes  did  get  angry.  'Well,  do  you  pray?'  'Yes, 
sir,  every  day.'  '  How  do  you  pray  ?  Do  you  repeat  a 
praj'er  you  have  committed  to  memory  ?'  '  I  pray  with  my 
whole  lieart.'  '  What  do  you  ask  for  ?  AVhat  do  you  wish 
above  all  other  things  ?'  '  That  God  would  give  me  a  new 
heart,  and  make  me  his  child.' 

"  After  other  conversations  of  a  similar  nature,"  says  the 
missionary,  '^I  kneeled  down  and  prayed  that  the  great 
Shepherd  would  make  this  dear  child  one  of  his  flock.  Be- 
fore rising  he  also  poured  out  his  heart  in  few  and  simple, 
but  most  appropriate  petitions  that  God  would  give  him  his 
Holy  Sjiirit,  make  him  his  child,  and  finally  take  him  to 
heaven.  As  he  arose,  his  eyes  were  filled  with  tears,  and 
my  own  thoughts  were  irresistibly  carried  back  to  many  a 
happy  scene  in  America,  where  I  have  been  surrounded 
by  a  group  of  children  pouring  out  their  tears  and  their 
hearts  before  God.  A  few  of  the  larger  boys  also  are  in 
the  habit  of  constant  prayer,  not  only  in  private  but  with 
the  other  boys,  and  I  would  fain  hope  that  the  Lord  has 
begun  a  good  work  in  their  hearts." 

With  such  evidence  of  God's  blessing  on  these  schools,  we 
do  not  wonder  to  hear  the  officers  of  the  Board  say  :  "  The 
time  has  now  come  for  establishing  a  seminary  in  this  mission, 
of  the  same  general  nature  with  that  in  the  Ceylon  mission ; 
and  the  Committee  expect  to  authorize  the  commencement 
of  it  as  soon  as  the  state  of  the  funds  will  permit." 


340  MISSION    SCHOOT.S. 

In  proof  of  the  liappy  and  elevating  influence  of  the  free 
schools,  facts  and  incidents  crowd  upon  the  missionaries  too 
numerous  for  record.  On  preaching- tours,  among  twenty 
villages  where  the  people  are  utterly  indifferent  to  the  truth, 
and  know  not  how  to  read,  one  is  found  wdiere  the  people 
crowd  around  the  missionary,  eager  for  books  and  glad  to 
listen  to  his  message.  The  reason  is  found  to  be,  that  in 
this  one  village,  a  mission  school  had  formerl}^  existed. 

The  Little  Girl  who  would  not  Break  the  Sabbath. 

"  Some  of  the  children  in  our  schools  are  obtaining  an 
amount  of  Scripture  knowledge  which  is  encouraging.  I 
have  just  heard  of  a  conversation  which  a  little  girl  had 
with  her  mother  a  few  days  since,  w^hich  will  illustrate  this. 
The  mother  had  directed  the  daughter  to  prepare  the  mate- 
rials for  cleansing  their  house  on  the  succeeding  day,  which 
was  the  Sabbath ;  against  this  the  daughter  expostulated 
very  strongly.  'Why,  mother,'  she  says,  'to-morrow  is  the 
Sabbath,  and  how  can  we  work  upon  that  day?'  'Then,' 
says  the  mother,  '  our  house  will  be  unclean,  and  how  can 
we  stay  in  it?'  'But,'  continues  the  daughter,  'it  is  God's 
command,  mother,  that  we  should  do  no  work  on  the  Sab- 
bath, and  that  we  should  sanctify  that  daj.^  Here  she  re- 
peated the  fourth  command ;  '  and  besides,  mother,'  she 
says,  '  if  our  hearts  are  clean,  we  shall  not  be  troubled  with 
the  impurity  of  the  house.'  It  is  sufficient  to  say  the  house 
was  not  cleansed ;  and  now  that  mother  gives  us  some  rea- 
son to  hope  that  her  heart  has  been  changed." 

Can  w^e  have  more  convincing  proof  of  the  blessed  influ- 
ence of  Christian  teaching  on  these  young  hearts  ?  Take 
the  following  incident  from  the  pen  of  a  missionary :  "A 
day  or  two  since,  while  returning  from  one  of  the  out-schools, 
I  met  some  of  my  scholars  in  the  north  quarter  of  the  town, 
and  went  with  them  to  their  houses.  The  parents  seemed 
to  welcome  me  cordially,  and  after  I  had  looked  into  their 
houses,  and  made  some  inquiries  about  their  domestic  com- 
forts and  habits,  as  I  was  in  the  principal  room  of  one  of 


VALUE  OF  HEATHEN  TEACHERS.  347 

the  houses,  I  icas  ashed  to  pray  by  one  of  (lie  children.  I  said 
they  might  call  in  their  neighbors.  They  did  so,  and  we  had 
a  very  pleasing  and  to  me  novel  meeting." 

And  is  it  possible  that  such  schools  are  to  be  disallowed  ? 
The  missionaries  have  clung  to  them  through  all  the  history 
of  the  Board — their  letters  and  lives  are  one  mass  of  testi- 
mony to  their  value.  "  We  have  often  remarked,"  they  write, 
''  that  our  school-masters,  heathen  as  they  are,  act  for  us  the 
important  part  of  pioneers.  They  open  for  us  a  door  of 
access  to  the  people ;  they  do  much  to  silence  objections 
and  to  remove  prejudice,  and  impart  useful  knowledge." 

There  were  twelve  additions  to  the  churches  this  year, 
marking  the  more  direct  blessing  of  Grod  upon  the  labors 
and  agencies  of  the  mission.  The  case  of  one  of  them,  a 
heathen  teacher,  is  narrated  in  detail,  and  both  for  the  depth 
of  his  conviction  and  the  much  he  had  to  suffer  for  Christ, 
the  account  awakens  deep  interest  and  sympathy. 

In  18 il,  the  whole  number  of  pupils  reported  in  one 
English  school,  seven  boarding,  and  eight^^-two  free  schools, 
is  8304.  The  missionary  says  :  "  Pupils  and  teachers  have 
acquired  a  large  amount  of  divine  knowledge.  I  would 
fain  hope  and  earnestly  pray  that  it  may  be  productive  of 
good  to  their  immortal  spirits."  "The  state  of  religious 
feeling  for  some  time  past  has  been  such  as  to  give  me 
much  encouragement.  From  the  middle  of  last  year  a  few 
of  the  boys  seemed  awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  condition 
as  perishing  sinners.  Soon  afterwards  three  of  the  larger 
boys  gave  very  pleasing  evidence  that  they  had  been  taught 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  appear  to  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness."  "  They  were  admitted  to  the  Church  last 
February."  "  A  few  of  the  other  boys  are  seriously  in- 
clined, and  feel  it  to  be  their  duty  to  converse  with  their 
friends  and  others  on  the  subject  of  personal  religion." 

"  Those  boys  who  are  members  of  the  Church  give  me 
all  the  evidence  I  could  expect,  and,  indeed,  all  that  I  could 
desire,  that  they  reall}^  love  the  service  of  the  blessed  Sav- 
iour. Two  or  three  others  give  much  reason  to  hope  that 
they  have  chosen  the  Lord  as  their  portion.      Most  of  the 


84:8  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

boys  are  in  the  daily  habit  of  prayer  and  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  I  can  not  but  hope  that  the  Lord  has  still  rich 
blessings  in  store  for  some  of  them,  whom  he  will  make  pol- 
ished shafts  in  his  quiver." 

The  reports  of  this  year  mention  eleven  new  admissions 
to  the  Church — "  Three  of  the  larger  boys  of  the  boarding- 
school  at  Tiramungulum ;  "  three  more  at  Sivagunga,  and 
five  at  Dindigul.  Both  pupils  and  teachers  were  active  in 
making  known  the  truth  to  others,  even  while  subjected  to 
much  reproach  and  abuse. 

In  1842  the  schools  had  so  increased  as  to  embrace  4035 
pupils,  200  of  whom  were  boarding  scholars.  The  pro- 
posed seminary  was  commenced  this  year,  September  1, 
with  34  pupils,  10  of  whom  were  members  of  the  Church. 
Nearly  all  the  most  cheering  results  and  prospects  of  the 
mission  are  traced,  as  usual,  to  the  schools.  As  an  illus- 
tration of  this  fact  take  the  followino' : 

o 
The   Praying  Girl  and  her  Father. 

"  Mrs.  Cherry's  girls'  school  prospers  beyond  our  expec- 
tation. In  July  the  father  of  one  of  the  little  girls  came  to 
my  study,  apparently  in  trouble.  He  stood  a  little  time, 
and  before  he  had  uttered  his  first  sentence  he  began  to  weep. 
'  Sir,'  said  he,  '  what  can  I  do  ?  My  little  daughter  kneels 
down  with  me  and  my  wife  and  repeats  the  Lord's  j^rayer.' 
I  answered :  '  That  is  well.'  Said  he  :  '  We  tried  to  make 
her  stop,  but  she  continued  it,  and  we  thought  we  would  let 
her ;  but  oh  I  it  makes  me  feel  so  bad !  I  want  to  be  a 
Christian.'  In  the  evening  he  came  with  his  brother,  who 
from  having  oftener  attended  our  services,  knew  more  of 
divine  truth.  They  asked  for  baptism.  I  talked  with  them 
a  long  time,  nnd  believe  they  felt  earnest  and  honest  in  their 
wishes." 

"  All  the  girls  now  with  us,  26  in  number,  are  in  the 
habit  of  prayer,  and  I  am  strong  in  the  hope  that  they  are 
those  designated  by  our  compassionate  Lord  as  '  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven." 


SPECIAL   VALUE   OF   BOAKDING-SCHOOi.  '        PAi) 


Special  Value  of  Boarding-Schools. 

Of  his  boarding-school  ^h\  Muzzy  siiys  :  "  This  school 
lias  afforded  us  more  eiicouraojement  than  any  other  means 
we  have  been  enabled  to  use.  There  has  been  scarcely  a 
time  for  six  months  past  that  some  of  its  members  have  not 
appeared  serious,  and,  in  some  degree,  anxious  for  the  sal- 
vation of  their  souls ;  and  in  one  or  two  instances,  we  en- 
tertain hopes  that  the  change  we  see  in  their  appearance  and 
life  is  a  real  transformation  from  darkness  to  God's  marvel- 
lous light."  "  I  have  ascertained  that  some  of  the  boys  in 
the  boarding- school  not  only  observe  seasons  of  secret  pray- 
er themselves,  but  take  some  of  the  other  boys  apart  and 
hold  little  meetings  with  them."  "  Last  evening  one  of  the 
boarding  -  school  boys  remained  after  evening  service  and 
desired  conversation  and  prayers ;  he  also  wished  to  unite 
with  the  Church."  "  The  feeling  appears  to  be  very  gen- 
eral that  the  religion  of  this  people  is  to  be  superseded  by 
another,  which  is  to  be  the  only  true  religion." 

The  only  additions  to  the  churches  traceable  in  the  re- 
ports of  this  year  are  two,  stated  in  the  Missionary  Herald 
of  December  as  follows  : 

"  Mr.  Tracy  mentions  in  his  journal  that  two  of  the 
school -boys,  who  appeared  to  have  correct  views  of  the  way 
of  salvation,  and  of  their  own  character  and  desert  as  sin- 
ners, had  applied  for  admission  to  the  church  at  Tiramun- 
gulum,  and  had  been  received." 

In  1843  are  reported  114  free  schools,  with  3353  pupils, 
besides  173  in  select  schools,  195  boarding  pupils,  30  in  the 
seminary,  and  36  preparandi.  "  The  small  expense  of  the 
free  schools,  compared  with  the  beneficial  results  which  ac- 
crue, is  deserving  of  notice.  The  teaching  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  Dindigul  station  alone,  the  last  year,  was  equal 
to  the  labors  of  one  man  twenty-five  3-'ears,  and  cost  less 
than  at  the  rate  of  $20  a  year,  or  less  than  $1.50  a  year  for 
each  pupil.  The  effect  of  the  instruction  communicated  on 
the  minds  of  the  children,  in  disciplining  them  and  qualify- 
ing them  to  distinguish  between  truth  and  error,  and  on 


OOU  i^riSSlON   SCHOOLS. 

their  moral  feelings,  is  great  and  salutary.  '  "We  very  mucli 
doubt,'  say  the  missionaries,  '  whether  there  be  a  child  se- 
lected from  our  schools,  after  six  months'  or  a  year's  train- 
ing, who  will  admit  for  example  the  existence  of  more 
gods  than  one,  or  will  reject  this  first  element  of  all  correct 
knowledge  in  religion.'  In  this  manner  these  schools,  if 
they  do  not  fully  supply  the  defect  of  early  religious  train- 
ing in  the  family,  are  constantly  counteracting  the  influence 
of  those  errors  and  absurdities  with  which  heathen  parents 
fill  the  minds  of  their  children,  and  thus  are  prejoaring  the 
way  for  them  to  hear  intelligently  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
jDcl,  and  to  admit  the  truth  of  its  doctrines." 

The  missionaries  urge  that  their  seminary  and  schools 
should  be  enlarged.  Of  their  boarding-schools  they  say  : 
*'  The  conduct  of  the  boys  has  been  respectful  and  proper, 
and  some  of  them  have  been  serious  and  anxiouslj^  in- 
quiring what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved."  "  The  desire  for 
religious  conversation  has  been  so  great,  that  scarcely  an 
evening  has  passed  for  weeks  in  which  some  of  the  boys 
have  not  come  to  my  study  for  private  conversation  and 
prayer." 

This  quite  prepares  us  to  read  :  "  Three  boys  from  the 
English  boarding  -  school  were  received  to  the  Church." 
"  Since  my  last,  three  from  the  seminary  and  one  from  tlie 
boarding-school  have  been  received  into  the  Church."  It 
prepares  us,  also,  for  this  summary  statement  in  the  report 
of  the  Board : 

"  It  is  an  important  fact^  also,  that,  from  the  ^5?ipi75  in  the 
boarding-schools  nearly  all  the  40  converts  iclio  have  the  last 
year  been  received  to  the  'mission  churches,  h.ave  been  gathered. 
A  number  more  from  among  these  pupils  are  candidates  for 
church-fellowship." 

Forty  converts  the  harvest  of  this  year,  and  ''  nearly  all  " 
from  "  the  boarding  schools"  ! 

In  18 i4  the  missionaries  write  :  "  To  day  the  Lord's  sup- 
per has  been  administered,  and  one  of  the  boys  in  the  board- 
ing-school, who  has  long  been  on  trial,  has  been  admitted 
to  the  Church  ;  nine  others  are  candidates  for  the  privilege 


SPECIAL    VALUE   OF    BOARDIXG-SCITOOLS.  851 

at  a  future  time."  When  a  "benevolent  society"  wos 
formed  for  supporting  schools  and  catechists,  "the  boys  in 
tlie  boarding-schools  "  were  foremost  in  tlie  work,  and  even 
read}^  to  go  "without  part  of  a  meal  twice  each  week,"  to 
save  money  for  the  purpose.  "  A  class  six  in  number  and 
all  hopefully  pious,  graduated  in  February."  "  Of  the  girls 
in- the  boarding-school  we  hope  to  admit  two  to  the  Church 
to-morrow."  "  There  are  tokens  of  the  Spirit's  presence  in 
the  boarding-school  which  have  encouraged  our  hearts." 
"  Tlie  blessing  of  God  has  hitherto,  we  believe,  attended 
our  labors  in  the  seminary.  Nearly  one  half  of  the  pupils 
are  professors  of  religion,  including  the  whole  of  the  first 
class."  "  The  boarding-school  for  boj^s  has  41  pupils,  of 
whom  11  are  candidates  for  admission  to  the  Church.  In 
the  girls'  school  there  are  45  constant  attendants.  Two  have 
been  added  to  the  Church,  and  there  are  14  candidates  for 
admission."  "  The  girls'  boarding-school  at  Madura  East 
has  33  scholars ;  and  it  has  not  been  without  some  tokens 
of  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  preparandi  class, 
designed  to  prepare  school-masters  and  readers  for  the  vil- 
lages, is  prosperous.  Ten  young  men  have  been  connected 
with  it  during  the  year.  Six  are  candidates  for  admission 
to  the  Church." 

1845. — This  year  shows  an  increase  in  the  schools,  the 
whole  number  of  pupils  being  3891.  The  increase  was 
mostly  in  the  seminary  and  boarding-schools.  Of  the  for- 
mer it  is  reported:  "In  May  the  number  had  risen  to  til, 
of  whom  16  were  members  of  the  Church.  Of  the  class 
which  finished  the  course  of  study  last  year,  all  entered  into 
the  service  of  the  mission  as  helpers."  "  Of  the  progress 
in  study,  good  conduct  and  promise  of  usefulness  of  the  pu- 
pils, the  missionaries  speak  with  great  encouragement." 
"  Two  or  three  of  the  students  are  now  candidates  for 
church  membership.  Many  seem  to  feel  the  truth,  and 
some  are  in  the  habit  of  stated  private  prayer.  In  the 
boarding-school  "  several  of  the  boys  are  seriouslj^  inclined, 
and  have  asked  for  baptism." 


S52  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Schools  secure  Village  Congregritions. 

In  1846  the  number  of  pupils  in  the  schools  Lad  in- 
creased to  4171,  and  "  tlie  native  churches  liad  an  acces- 
sion of  97  members."  These,  as  heretofore,  were  gathered 
in  from  the  schools  and  the  "  Christian  villages,"  so  called, 
that  is,  villages  which  had  placed  themselves  under  Christ- 
ian instruction  for  certain  considerations,  the  most  valuable 
of  which,  in  their  estimation,  was  a  school.  Hence  the  re- 
port says  :  "  The  great  extension  of  the  school  system  has 
resulted  from  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  mission. 
Nearly  50  of  the  free  schools  and  nearly  1000  of  the  pu- 
pils are  in  the  '  Christian  villages.'  The  least  we  can  do 
for  these  villages,     .     .     is  to  establish  schools  in  them." 

From  the  urgent  desire  of  the  people  for  education  "  has 
arisen  the  system  of  village  free  schools,  the  select  schools, 
the  boarding-schools,  and  the  seminary." 

Of  the  61  students  in  the  seminary  "  20  are  members  of 
the  Church,  6  having  been  received  during  the  year." 
"  All  the  members  of  the  first  class,  except  two,  are  com- 
municants." 

Of  the  girls'  boarding-school  at  East-Madura,  "  Nine  of 
the  pupils  were  admitted  to  the  Church  during  the  year,  and 
six  are  candidates."  "  All  the  boys  of  the  boarding-school 
go  regularly  to  their  closets,  either  in  small  companies  or 
alone,  to  read  the  Scriptures  and  pray."  "  There  was  un- 
usual attention  to  the  subject  of  religion  in  the  girls'  board- 
in  sj-school." 

Of  the  seminary  at  Pasumalee  it  is  reported:  "The  pre- 
sent number  of  students  is  56" — ■"  Of  these  20  are  members 
of  the  Church,  of  whom  eight  have  been  admitted  to  Christ- 
ian fellowship  within  the  past  j^ear."  There  were  only 
"six  members  of  the  Church  at  P.,  who  were  not  pupils  of 
the  seminary." 

A  good  number  of  the  heathen  teachers  are  included 
among  those  received  to  the  Church,  and  the  candidates  for 
admission. 

1847  was  a  year  of  trial  in  this  mission.     An  attempt  to 


SCHOOLS   SECURE   VILLAGE   COXGREGATIOXS.  358 

root  out  caste  from  the  native  cliurcb,  resulted  in  tlie  sepa- 
ration from  the  mission  of  some  72  converts  and  a  large 
number  of  scholars.  The  schools  were  still  farther  reduced 
for  want  of  funds.  "In  consequence  of  a  reduction  in  the 
appropriation  made  by  the  Committee  for  schools,  the  mis- 
sion has  reduced  the  number  of  pupils  in  the  common 
schools  from  8803  to  2306."  This  act  was  a  painful  one 
to  the  mission. 

Mr.  Muzz}^  writes  of  his  station  :  "Four  or  five  hundred 
scholars,  who  have  been  learning  the  Scriptures,  who  were 
assembled  every  Thursday  to  hear  them  explained,  who 
committed  to  memory  scriptural  catechisms,  and  who  heard 
the  Gospel  on  the  Sabbath  and  other  days,  are  now  depriv- 
ed of  all  these  privileges,  and  are  under  heathen  influences 
entirely."  The  report  of  the  mission  says:  "The  reduc- 
tion of  the  schools  to  one  half  the  number  of  last  year,  is 
very  sudden  and  great,  and  is  calculated  to  shake  the  pub- 
lic confidence  in  the  stability  of  the  mission,  and  thus  hin- 
der the  progress  of  the  Gospel."  The  mission  earnestly 
remonstrated  asrainst  further  reduction  of  the  schools,  thus 
attesting  their  high  appreciation  of  these  agencies,  which  is 
also  evinced  by  statements  like  the  following,  showing  the 
blessed  results  of  these  schools.  "  In  the  English  school 
for  boj^s,  four  have  recently  requested  baptism."  "At 
Pulney,  three  school -masters  have  expressed  a  desire  to 
unite  with  our  Church  and  receive  baptism." 

"  The  whole  number  of  students  who  have  been  connect- 
ed with  our  seminary  from  its  commencement  is  92. 
Of  the  whole  number,  87  have  been  professors  of  religion."' 
"  Of  the  class  which  graduated  in  May  last,  nine  (out  of 
eleven)  were  members  of  the  Church."  "All  of  the  class 
which  has  recently  graduated,  (with  the  exception  of  two, 
who  have  gone  to  Madras,)  are  in  the  service  of  the 
mission." 

In  1848,  several  of  the  pupils  became  members  of  the 
Church  and  others  were  candidates.  The  influence  of  the 
schools  in  gathering  "  village  congregations  "  and  converts 
from  them,  is  abundantly  manifest.     The  report  says :  "  The 


354  ■     [MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

congregations  which  assembled  at  station  churches,  are  com- 
posed of  the  free  school  children,  teachers,  and  monitors, 
the  boarding-school  bojs,  and  the  girls,"  "  ten  to  fifteen 
strangers"  being  drawn  in  from  curiosity.  The  adults 
drawn  in,  were  for  the  most  part  "  the  parents  of  school- 
children," thus  showing  the  influence  of  the  schools  in  se- 
curing adult  hearers. 

Of  the  seminary  the  missionary  writes  :  "  The  conduct  of 
the  students  has  been  very  exemplary ;  and  several  of  them 
give  me  reason  to  hope  that  they  have  passed  from  death 
unto  life.  Four  of  them  are  candidates  for  admission  to  the 
Church." 

The  missionary  at  Dindigul  writes  :  "  Last  January  five 
persons  were  received  into  the  Church — three  were  school- 
masters at  out-stations.  The  other  two  were  members  of 
our  English  school."  "  A  short  time  since,  a  lad  about  six- 
teen years  old,  came  to  me  and  said  he  formerly  belonged 
to  the  English  school  at  this  place,  that  he  now  wished  to 
be  baptized  and  make  an  open  profession  of  religion.  I 
think  it  my  duty  to  receive  him  into  the  Church." 

Mr.  Herrick  w^'ites :  "  I  became  much  interested  in  a 
little  boy  ten  years  of  age,  and  a  member  of  one  of  these 
schools.  The  catechist  pointed  him  out  to  me,  saying  that 
he  regularly  attended  morning  prayers,  and  often  prayed 
himself  that  his  parents  might  become  w^orshippers  of  the 
true  Grod.  Before  I  left,  the  little  boy  came  to  me  and  said, 
with  much  apparent  thoughtfulness :  '  Sir,  I  have  become  a 
Christian.  As  I  daily  go  to  the  bazaar,  I  meet  many  little 
boys  who  worship  idols.  What  shall  I  say  to  them  ?  '  A 
heathen  man  who  stood  by,  bore  witness  to  the  boldness 
with  which  the  little  fellow  acknowledged  Christ  wherever 
he  went." 

A  Revival  in  the  Seminary. 

In  1849,  the  whole  number  of  pupils  in  the  schools  in- 
creased to  2560.  The  mission  says  :  "  We  know  that  much 
good  has  already  been  accomplished  by  schools,  in  opening 
the  way  for  preaching  the  Gospel,     We  believe  that  preacli- 


CHANGE   OF   POLICY.  Soo 

ing  and  teaching,  tbe  pulpit  and  the  school,  the  mission- 
ary and  the  school-master,  acting  conjointly,  are  an  effect- 
ual method  of  propagating  the  Gospel."  The  annual 
report  says  :  "  The  seminary  was  blessed  with  an  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit,  in  the  summer  of  last  year.  An 
account  of  the  revival  of  religion  in  the  seminaries  among 
the ,  Nestorians,  excited  in  teachers  and  scholars  a  desire 
for  a  similar  blessing  among  themselves*  '  Several  of  the 
church  members  seemed  to  have  received  a  new  spirit 
of  earnest,  importunate  prayer,  and  a  day  was  subse- 
quently set  apart  for  S2)ecial  prayer  and  fasting.  The 
meetings  were  deeply  solemn,  and  I  never  witnessed  more 
earnest  prayers  than  were  offered  by  some  of  the  native 
members  of  the  Church.  The  general  feeling  of  solemnity 
was  increased,  and  several  of  the  most  hopeless  of  the  stu- 
dents were  brouoht  under  conviction,  and  I  trust  were  led 
to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  Xine  or  ten  are  now  indulging  the 
hope  that  they  have  been  born  again,  and  several  others, 
with  a  greater  or  less  degree  of  interest,  are  inquiring  what 
they  must  do  to  be  saved.' 

"  Xine  of  these  converts  were  admitted  to  the  Church  at 
the  close  of  the  year.  Several  others  were  regarded  as  can- 
didates for  admission,  and  there  were  still  indications  of  the 
divine  presence." 

Change  of  Policy  and  Ketrenchment. 

And  yet,  notwithstanding  these  blessed  results  of  the 
schools,  the  same  report  of  the  Board  discloses  the  unhap- 
py change  in  the  views  of  the  Secretary'  and  Prudential 
Committee  in  regard  to  them.  It  says:  '*The  Prudential 
Committee  doubt  if  the  hioher  missionarv  schools,  called 
seminaries,  should  be  formed  at  the  outset  of  missions,  as 
they  have  often  been."  "  The  Committee  express  a  doubt 
as  to  the  propriety  of  the  frequent  employment  of  profess- 
edly heathen  masters.  They  would  also  declare  their  be- 
lief, that  schools  are  no  where  necessary  precursors  of  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  nor  necessary  attendants  upon  its 
merely  aggressive  operations  in  pagan  communities." 

Here  was  a  manifest  change  of  vievrs  on  the  pan  of  the 


Sijfy  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

executive  officers.  The  sentiments  expressed  are  directl} 
in  conflict  Avith  their  former  views,  as  well  as  with  th( 
views  and  practice  of  the  missions. 

The  reader  will  bear  in  mincl  the  accordant  and  uniform 
statements  of  the  officers  of  the  Board  up  to  this  date.  In 
regard  to  these  very  schools  with  heathen  teachers,  they  had 
repeatedly  placed  sentiments  on  record  as  follows  :  "Schools 
of  this  kind  are  too  important  an  auxiliary  to  the  mission- 
ary to  be  abandoned."  Though  their  teachers  are  heathen] 
they  "  7nay  he  an  excelle7it  channel  for  conveying  Christian 
hnoioledge  to  the  minds  of  the  2^uinls,  the  teachers,  the  j^cirents, 
and  the  friends  of  cdl  connected  with  the  schools^ 

What  inference  ought  to  be  made  from  these  conflicting 
statements  ?  Was  there  a  change  of  views,  or  Avas  there 
not  ?     (See  Eeport  of  Deputation,  p.  9.) 

In  1850,  the  retrenchment  in  the  schools  was  so  great 
that  only  1523  pupils  are  reported,  in  all,  though  the  mis- 
sionaries put  on  record  facts,  and  give  utterance  to  convic- 
tions showing  the  value  of  these  agencies  no  less  than  be- 
fore. Of  one  of  the  boarding-schools  it  is  said  :  "  Five  of 
the  girls  have  been  received  to  the  Church,  and  it  is  hoped 
that  some  others  have  been  renewed."  The  English  school 
is  reported  as  "still  flourishing,"  supported  as  usual,  mostly 
by  English  friends,  and  the  great  value  of  all  the  schools  is 
dwelt  upon,  especially  in  securing  a  large  amount  of  Christ- 
ian knowledge  instilled  into  the  minds  of  the  pupils,  and 
disseminated  widely  among  the  people.  Mr.  Muzzy  writes : 
"  I  often  meet,  in  my  excursions  for  preaching,  j'-oung  men 
who  have  studied  in  these  schools  formerlj^ ;  and  they  uni- 
formly, as  far  as  I  know,  not  only  understand  the  most  of 
what  we  say,  and  approve  of  it,  but  actuall}^  stand  up  for 
the  truth,  and  argue  in  its  defense  with  those  who  oppose 
it.  And  many  of  those  who  have  been  anj^  time  under  in- 
struction, and  have  afterv/ards  obtained  employment,  either 
under  government  or  rich  natives,  have  a  name  for  probity 
and  uprightness  which  was  not  known  in  others  who  occu- 
pied the  same  places  before  them.  The  heathen  notice  this, 
and  speak  of  it,  as  the  '  fruit  of  the  padres'  schools.' " 


CUAXGE   OF   POLICY.  357 

Ciioicer  fruit  from  these  schools  is  reported  as  follows : 

"  Early  in  December  I  had  the  pleasure  of  admitting  nine 
of  the  students  to  the  privileges  of  the  Church ;  and  at  our 
last  communion  service,  which  occurred  a  few  weeks  ago, 
seven  more  were  received  into  the  fold  of  Christ."  "  Only 
two  are  now  left  in  the  seminary,  who  are  not  members  of 
the  Church  ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  term,  a  few  days  since, 
one  of  tliese  was  inquiring  what  he  should  do  to  be  saved." 
"  I  am  more  and  more  convinced,  every  day,  that  the  work 
which  has  been  accomplished  in  the  seminary,  has  been  of 
God,  and  not  of  man." 

In  1851,  the  seminary  "  had  twenty-seven  pupils  at  the 
close  of  the  year,  of  whom  twenty  were  membei's  of  the 
Church."  '■  Of  the  whole  number  of  students  from  the  be- 
ginning, forty-eight  have  been  members  of  the  Church,  and 
eighteen  are  known  to  have  engaged  in  missionary  work." 
"  The  state  of  religious  feeling  in  the  seminary  has  been 
such  as  to  afford  encouragement."  "  The  English  school, 
still  supported  by  the  liberality  of  English  residents,  is  suc- 
cessful."    "  The  girls'  day-schools  are  said  to  be- prosperous." 

In  1852,  the  whole  number  of  pupils  rose  to  1883. 
'^  Two  young  men  graduated  from  the  seminary,  during 
the  year,  and  are  usefully  employed  in  the  service  of  the 
mission."  "The  English  school  reports  one  hundred  and 
sixteen  pupils."  "  In  the  boarding-school  at  Sivagunga,  an 
interesting  state  of  religious  feeling  has  existed ;  several  of 
the  boys,  it  is  hoped,  have  been  truly  converted ;  and  two 
have  been  received  to  the  Church."  In  the  girls'  boarding- 
school  at  Madura  East,  "  quite  a  number  have  been  anxious 
in  regard  to  their  spiritual  interests — four  were  received  to 
the  Church,  and  seven  others  were  seeking  admission." 

It  is  well  to  note  the  gradual  change  in  this  mission  in 
the  character  of  the  schools.  For  many  years,  all  were  for 
heathen  children,  and  taught  by  heathen  teachers.  As 
converts  were  obtained,  and  became  fitted  to  teach,  they 
gradually  supplanted  the  heathen  teachers;  and  the  offer 
of  schools  availing  to  secure  "  village  congregations"  of 
those  who  pledged  themselves  to  forsake  idolatry  and  thus 


858  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

became  nominal  Christians,  these  schools  became  numerous, 
and  the  schools  for  heathen  children  diminished  But  it 
should  be  observed  that  the  effective  influence  in  obtaining 
these  "  village  congregations"  at  first,  and  in  giving  them 
Christian  instruction  and  eventually  bringing  individuals 
of  them  into  the  Church,  was  the  schools.  The  report  re- 
cognizes this  fact,  and  says :  "  The  teachers,  in  most  cases, 
instruct  not  only  the  children  of  the  schools,  but  the  adult 
members  of  the  congregations."  Regular,  stated,  long-con- 
tinued instruction  in  Christian  truth,  by  means  of  schools, 
is  the  agency  whicli  God  has  preeminently  blessed  in  this, 
as  in  all  our  other  missions ;  the  schools  being  the  chief 
centres  of  influence,  the  nurseries  especially  blessed  in  the 
conversion  of  the  pupils,  and  fountains  whence  emanated 
the  influence  which  arrested  attention,  awakened  thought, 
and  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  others.  Hence  we  read 
in  the  frequent  reports,  statements  like  the  following:  "  Five 
persons  were  recently  admitted  to  the  Church  at  Madura 
East,  four  of  them  being  pupils  in  the  girls'  boarding- 
school."  "  A  number  of  the  girls  seem  to  be  solicitous  in 
regard  to  the  salvation  of  their  souls ;  and  six  or  eight  are 
anxious  to  join  the  Church." 

"  After  returning  from  the  Sanitarium  in  October,  I  no- 
ticed unusual  attention,  on  the  part  of  the  boys  in  our 
boarding-school,  to  the  preached  Gospel  and  to  the  Bible 
lessons.  A  degree  of  seriousness  and  though tfalness  seem- 
ed to  pervade  the  school,  which  I  had  not  previously  seen. 
I  invited  all  who  had  any  special  desire  to  converse  upon 
the  subject  of  personal  religion  to  call  at  my  room.  Five 
of  the  larger  boys  came,  and  said  they  had  resolved  to  be 
Christians.  A  few  evenings  afterwards,  all  the  boys  came 
and  declared  their  determination  to  serve  the  Lord.  The 
Holy  Spirit  was  manifestly  at  work." 

In  1853,  we  find  the  whole  number  of  pupils  in  the 
schools  to  be  only  1395.  The  detailed  reports  of  these 
schools  show  their  high  value  in  the  estimation  of  the 
mission,  and  their  efiective  influence  in  securing  its  great 
objects.     Of  the  33  pupils  in  the  seminary,  "18  are  mem- 


CFIAXGK   OF   POLICY,  350 

bcrs  of  the  Church."  Of  the  lo  preparandi  scholars,  "  12 
are  members  of  the  Church."  "  The  religious  state  of  the 
institution  is  encouraging."  "Ten  of  the  pupils  united 
with  the  Church  during  the  year ;  and  the  report  mentions 
ten  or  twelve,  not  members  of  the  Church,  who  were  ac- 
customed to  attend  a  weekly  inquiry  meeting,  and  seem- 
ed seriously  desirous  to  know  and  do  the  will  of  God." 
"  Three  young  men  were  received  into  the  Churcli  at  our 
last  communion  season,  and  otliers  are  desirous  of  the  same 
privilege." 

The  missionaries'  estimate  of  these  schools  is  often  appar- 
ent.    Mr.   Muzzy,   speaking  of  a  new  congregation,  says : 

"The  movement  appears  to  have  resulted  from  a  blessing 
on  the  day-school  among  them."  "  !\Iany  of  these  persons 
have  been  instructed  in  schools,  or  in  missionary  families ; 
and  they  have  a  much  better  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures 
than  others  who  have  not  had  their  privileges."  Mr.  Chand- 
ler says :  "  Our  boarding-school  is  in  a  very  hopeful  state. 
Some  are  candidates  for  admission  to  the  Church.  Those 
received  to  the  Church  at  the  close  of  last  year,  have  con- 
tinued to  adorn  their  profession." 

In  1854,  the  schools  report  in  all  1229  pupils.  Of  the  44 
in  the  seminary  "15  have  been  received  into  the  Church." 
"They  all  seem  to  be  walking  in  the  fear  of  God.  They 
have  manifested  a  pleasing  interest  in  tlie  spiritual  welfare 
of  their  impenitent  companions."  "  Four  graduated  in 
March,  and  have  since  been  profitably  employed  in  the 
service  of  the  mission,"  and  also  14  preparandi  scholars. 

"The  English  school  has  137  pupils." 

The  annual  report  of  this  year  frankly  admits  that  "for- 
merly those  who  joined  the  churches  were  generally  from 
the  schools,  or  the  native  helpers  of  the  mission;"  while  it 
expresses  gratification  that  now  the  greatest  accessions  come 
from  the  village  congregations.  But  these  village  congre- 
gations were  traceable  to  these  same  schools. 

1855  commenced  with  1147  pupils  but  closed  with  a  dimin- 
ished number.  A  close  inspection  of  reports  reveals  the 
fact  that  two  boarding-scliools  and  the  industrial  school  had 


8Bl>  MISSIOX   SCHOOLS. 

disappeared,  and  also  the  English  school  with  its  137  intel- 
ligent and  promising  young  men,  and  instructions  were  given 
for  abandoning  three  more  of  the  boarding-schools  at  a  fixed 
point  of  time. 

The  cause  of  this  change  of  policy  is  found  in  the  visit  of 
the  Deputation. 

In  coiniection  with  the  suppression  of  the  English  school 
the  statement  is  put  on  record  that  "no  instance  of  conver- 
sion has  come  to  our  knowledge  as  the  result  of  this  school;" 
and  yet  in  the  Missionary  Herald  of  July,  1848,  only  seven 
A'ears  previous,  eight  persons  are  recorded  as  converted  in 
connection  with  the  English  school.  They  seem  to  havo 
been  connected  with  a  branch  of  the  English  school,  then 
sustained  at  Dindigal  East,  but  were  converted  in  the  "Eng- 
lish school." 

1856. — The  report  of  this  year  shows  996  scholars  in  the 
schools  still  permitted  to  exist.  The  most  interesting  con- 
verts are  still  found  in  connection  with  these  schools.  The 
report  says:  "Nine  of  the  pupils  (of  the  girls'  boarding- 
school)  have,  within  the  year,  been  received  to  the  privileges 
of  the  Church."  "  Ten  of  these  (students  in  the  seminary) 
have  been  admitted  to  the  23rivileges  of  the  Church,  and  sev- 
eral others  have  offered  themselves  as  candidates  for  admis- 
sion." 

We  here  close  this  brief  account  of  the  Madura  mission, 
with  devout  thanksgiving  to  God  for  his  precious  favor  and 
blessing  on  these  schools,  and  especially  that  they  were  not 
suppressed  in.  the  early  years  of  the  mission  bringing  upon 
it  such  a  disaster  as  befell  our  more  recently  organized  mis- 
sions in  Western  India.  The  1000  or  1200  native  commu- 
nicants in  this  mission  are  a  living  testimony  to  the  value 
of  these  schools  and  the  blessing  of  Heaven  upon  them. 

MADKAS    MISSION. 

1836. — The  only  remaining  mission  in  India  now  connect- 
ed with  the  American  Board,  is  at  Madras. 

This  mission  was  commenced  in  August,  1836,  by  the 
Eev.  Myron  Winslow,  D.D.,  who  was  joined  the  following 
HKmth  bv  Br.  Scudder. 


CHIEF   HOPES   CENTRE   IN   THE   SCHOOLS.  861 

Chief  Hopes  centre  in  the   Schools. 

1837. — The  first  annual  report  in  1837  reveals  the  policy 
and  agencies  of  the  mission  in  speaking  of  the  press,  and  of 
25  schools  With  750  jmpils.  The  Board  made  no  increased 
allowance  for  these  schools  for  want  of  funds,  and  they  were 
nearly  all  closed,  but  such  was  the  estimate  of  them  by  the 
missionaries  and  European  Christians  on  the  ground,  that 
contributions  came  in,  ($600  from  one  friend,)  and -enabled 
Afr.  Winslow  to  reopen  14  of  them  in  October. 

The  importance  of  these  schools  is  brought  to  view  in  the 
frequent  and  earnest  pleas  of  the  missionaries  for  funds  to 
support  them.  In  their  letters  to  the. secretaries  are  such 
statements  as  the  following :  "  We  regTct  exceedingly  that 
the  embarrassments  of  the  Board  prevent  our  having  funds 
to  continue  and  even  enlarge  the  schools ;  and,  as  our  con- 
gregations depend  so  much  upon  them,  we  are  making  an 
eifort  to  acquire  liere  the  means  of  continuing  a  few."  They 
])lead  for  "  an  efficient  and  extensive  school  system ;  em- 
bracing a  high  school,  boarding-school,  and  many  native 
free  schools.  Every  year's  experience  convinces  us  more 
and  more  that  the  great  hope  of  missions  to  such  idolaters 
ns  surround  us,  must  rest  on  the  young,  and  on  extending  to 
tliem  the  benefit  of  a  thoroughly  Christian  education." 

In  1838,  the  mission  reports  16  schools  w^ith  500  pupils. 
So  deeply  were  European  Christians  impressed  with  the 
value  of  these  schools  that  government  was  induced  to  grant 
Ks.  3000,  and  the  governor  and  several  other  gentlemen 
gave  Es.  100  each,  to  sustain  them  through  the  financial 
distress  of  the  Board. 

In  1839,  the  printing  and  schools  went  on  without  inter- 
ruption, and  one  convert  was  received  to  church  fellowship, 
of  whom  Dr.  Sc udder  writes :  "  The  man  was  a  scJwoI-master 
named  Savoyen." 

In  1840,  the  profits  of  the  press  exceeded  the  expenses  of 

the  mission,  and  the  schools  were  increased.     The  character 

of  these  schools  appears  from  the  letters  of  the  missionaries. 

They  say:   "  The  school-masters  are  most  of  them  heathen, 

IG 


862  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

but  tliey  regularly  teach  the  lessons  given  from  Christian 
books;  and  a  good  degree  of  faithfulness  is  secured  by  regu- 
lating their  pay  according  to  the  number  and  progress  of  the 
pupils."  "  Positive  good  is  done.  Much  of  the  seed  sown 
may  no  doubt  appear  to  be  lost,  and  sometimes  it  may  seem 
worse  than  lost,  because  the  weeds  in  a  cultivated  soil  will 
perhaps  be  more  rank  than  in  one  wholly  neglected.  But 
there  are  pleasing  instances  of  its  springing  up  after  many 
days.  No  mortal  can  fully  appreciate  the  value  of  one  im- 
portant spiritual  truth,  lodged  in  the  heart  and  conscience 
of  an  immortal  being  in  the  early  stages  of  his  existence, 
which  may  shape  his  character  for  eternity.  It  is  a  grain  of 
mustard  seed  which  afterwards  becomes  a  tree."  Not  onlv 
are  individual  conversions  referred  to  in  support  of  this 
view,  but  the  radical  and  thorough  changes  eft'ected  grad- 
ually in  whole  communities  in  India  arc  traced  directly  to 
these  schools.  Auotlier  school-master  was  this  year  received 
to  the  Church. 

In  1841,  the  schools  and  press  continued  to  prosper,  and 
a  girls'  boarding-school  was  added.  Sixteen  converts  were 
admitted  to  the  Church — one  being  a  European,  one  or  more 
heathen  school-masters,  two  Komanists,  and  the  rest  of  Christ- 
ian parentage. 

In  1842  we  find  16  schools  with  616  pupils.  Of  some  of 
the  converts  admitted  to  the  Church,  it  is  incidentally  men- 
tioned that  they  were  former  pupils  of  mission  schools. 

In  1843  we  find  the  schools  prosperous,  with  some  600 
pupils,  and  they  are  spoken  of  with  much  favor,  and  as 
eliciting  generous  contributions  from  European  Christians. 

In  1844,  several  pupils  are  spoken  of  as  candidates  for 
baptism.  The  results  of  the  schools  were  such  as  to  lead 
Mr.  Winslow  to  write:  "We  ought  to  have  the  means  of 
supporting  three  times  as  many  schools  as  we  now  have, 
also  an  efficient  high-school,  and  a  boarding  school  for  girls." 

In  1845  the  report  of  the  Board  says :  "The  schools  are 
represented  as  behig  in  an  encouraging  state.  It  is  the  wish 
of  the  mission  to  give  greater  efliciency  to  this  department." 

•In  1846,  an  English  school  for  boys,  and  also  a  girls'  school 


CONVERTS   MOSTLY  FROM  THE   SCHOOLS.  B68 

were  established.  The  subscriptions  of  English  friends  on 
the  ground  amounted  to  some  $1850.  A  heathen  teacher 
and  some  pupils  were  admitted  to  the  Church. 

In  1847,  the  schools  increased  to  23  with  883  pupils. 
Fourteen  persons  were  received  to  church  fellowship.  Two 
were  a  school-master  and  his  wife,  two  more  the  father  and 
mother  of  two  pupils,  themselves  inquirers,  another  was  a 
man  who  had  been  long  employed  as  a  Scripture-reader,  an- 
other the  eldest  lad  in  the  boarding-school ;  and  one  or  two 
students  in  the  English  school  were  decoyed  away  and  forci- 
bly confined,  after  asking  baptism — all  showing  the  value 
of  the  stated  teaching  and  influence  of  the  schools. 

A  combination  of  the  natives  this  year  to  oppose  Christ- 
ianity, shows  their  estimate  of  missionary  efforts,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  schools.  "  They  resolved  to  exclude  from  caste 
any  and  all  who  send  their  children  to  a  mission  school." 
They  were  so  excited  by  the  baptisms  of  youth  connected 
with  the  schools,  that  they  got  up  a  petition  to  the  British 
government  with  70,000  signatures,  praying  for  a  public 
school  without  the  Bible. 

In  18-18,  after  a  public  examination  of  the  schools,  it  is 
stated,  the  result  is  encouraging,  as  showing  real  progress  in 
them  all."  "  The  foundations  of  heathenism  are  weakened 
by  the  advance  of  education."  Rs.  2282  were  liberally  con- 
tributed for  these  schools,  by  European  Christians  at  Madras, 
and  several  pupils  were  admitted  to  the  Church. 

In  1849,  the  English  school  had  increased  from  some  90 
to  200  pupils,  and  all  the  schools  seem  to  have  continued 
prosperous.  "Nearl}^  $1000  were  contributed  for  their 
support  by  friends  of  the  mission  in  Madras,  so  that  their 
whole  expense  to  the  Board  has  scarcely  exceeded  $300. 
The  schools  have  been  instrumental  in  leading  several  of  the 
pupils  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  Christ."  Five  accessions  to 
the  Church  are  mentioned  as  follows  :  "  Two  of  the  pupils 
have  become  members  of  our  church,  and  we  trust  they  are 
true  Christians.  One  who  was  in  the  boys'  school  for  a 
time,  is  now  a  member  of  a  church ;  another  [pupil]  has  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  join  our  church."     Of  the  whole  five, 


36i  ^rlssIo^''  scirooT.s. 

four  liad  been  previously  baptized  and  nnder  Christian 
training. 

In  1850,  the  report  mentions  12  schools  still  supported  by 
English  friends.  Their  general  influence  and  their  "  value 
in  preparing  the  way  of  the  Lord  is  certainly  not  small." 
"  Many  of  the  pupils  are  well  acquainted  with  all  the  leading 
truths  of  Christianity,  and  some  are  so  far  impressed  in  their 
hearts  with  these  truths,  that  but  for  the  loss  of  all  things, 
which  they  must  incur  if  they  profess  Christ,  they  would  ask 
at  once  to  be  baptized  in  his  name." 

In  1851,  we  find  680  pupils  reported,  and  the  contribu- 
tions for  their  support  by  English  residents,  $1100.  "  The 
schools  and  congregations  are  in  an  encouraging  state.'' 
The  admissions  to  the  Church  in  1850  and  1851  were  some 
12  or  15,  among  whom  were  both  teachers  and  pupils. 

In  1852,  of  the  more  advanced  pupils  it  is  said :  They  are 
as  well  acquainted  with  Scripture  truth  as  most  lads  of  their 
age  in  Christian  lands."  Es.  2260  Were  given  this  year  at 
Madras,  for  the  support  of  these  schools. 

In  1853,  the  high  school  had  200  pupils,  and  the  number 
in  all  the  schools  was  665.  "All  the  scholars  attend  public 
worship  on  the  Sabbath,  and  they  are  also  collected  in  classes 
every  Sabbath  morning  as  Sabbath-schools ;  so  that  their 
minds  are  well  stored  with  Scripture  truth."  The  liberal 
contributions  of  the  English  continued.  The  whole  number 
of  church  members  is  given  as  45,  six  of  whom  were  added 
this  year.  Of  these,  two  were  received  by  letter,  two  were 
teachers  in  the  mission,  one  a  servant  of  the  mission,  and 
the  other  a  promising  pupil  of  the  schools. 

In  1854,  the  report  gives  750  pupils  in  the  schools,  and 
six  admissions  to  the  church  by  profession,  all  of  them 
young  persons  trained  in  the  schools  and  service  of  the  mis- 
sion, two  of  them  being  monitors  at  the  time. 

In  1855,  it  is  stated :  "  The  number  of  school  children 
may  be  about  350."  Why  this  sudden  falling  off?  It  was 
the  year  of  the  Deputation.  And  yet  the  convictions  of  the 
missionaries  are  indicated  by  statements  like  the  following : 
"Hundreds  upon  hundreds  of  children  and  youth  of  both 


CHIEF   INTEREST   CENTRES   IN   THE   SCHOOLS.  305 

sexes  have  been  taught  the  Scriptures,  of  whom  several,  not 
only  from  the  high-schools,  but  also  from  the  vernacular 
schools,  have  been  baptized." 

In  1856  we  find  only  two  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
pupils  in  the  schools,  and  though  the  influence  of  the  Depu- 
tation was  less  felt  in  this  than  in  any  other  of  our  India 
missions,  from  the  foot  that  Dr.  Winslow  was  there,  yet  it  is 
evident  the  prosperity  of  the  mission  was  seriously  affected. 
May  a  more  liberal  policy  soon  be  adopted,  and  the  valuable 
schools  of  this  mission  be  reestablished  and  enlarged. 

It  is  an  unwelcome  duty  to  close  the  sketch  of  each  mis- 
sion with  such  an  account  of  schools  disbanded  and  conse- 
quent desolation,  but  we  can  not  otherwise  be  truthful  to 
the  facts  of  history. 

And  let  us  cease  not  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  his  rich 
blessing  oiT^thcse  effective  agencies.  Hundreds  and  thou- 
sands of  the  dear  youth  have  been  converted,  and  many 
thousands  more  have  been  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  the  way  of  salvation  has  been  made  known  more 
widely  through  these  schools  than  could  have  been  pos- 
sible through  any  other  known  human  instrumentalities. 
Let  this  work  go  on,  and  a  Christian  education  be  given  to 
the  children  and  youth  of  India,  and  her  millions  will  soon 
be  evangelized.  The  history  of  each  mission  of  the  Board 
in  India  furnishes  the  strongest  possible  testimony  on  this 
point. 

And  the  same  is  true  of  every  other  mission  of  the  Board. 
The  most  successful  missions  are  those  where  schools  have 
been  sustained  in  largest  numbers,  and  a  proportionate  bless- 
ing has  come  down  upon  the  people.  These  schools  have 
been  the  means  of  rousing  and  disciplining  mind,  and  of 
bringing  the  truth  of  God  in  contact  with  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  God  has  honored  them  and  will  honor  them  till 
the  world  is  evangelized. 

We  have  thus  reviewed  the  history  of  the  schools  in  the 
missions  of  the  American  Board  in  India.  The  candid 
reader,  will  see  that  they  are  the  agencies  preeminently 
blessed  of  God  in  each  mission,  for  diffusing  widely  a  know 


S66  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

ledge  of  Cliristian  truth,  for  eiilightening,  convincing,  an-d 
converting  precious  souls,  and  thus  building  up  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom  in  that  land.  The  great  fact  arrived  at, 
and  the  great  lesson  which  should  be  forever  impressed  on 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  Christians  by  this  investigation,  is 
involved  in  the  results  of  the  Ceylon  Mission,  which,  con- 
densed, are  as  follows : 

Total  admissions  to  the  Church  up  to  1854,     .     .     .     825 
Admissions  from  the  two  seminaries,  ....     537 
Heathen  teachers  converted  and  rec'd  to  Church,    80 
Pupils  in  other  schools  "  "  "  60 — 677 

Total  conversions  not  directly  traceable  to  schools,        148 

In  view  of  such  results,  is  it  possible  that  any  impartial 
mind  can  hesitate  as  to  the  value  of  such  missioifschools  ? 

I  would  gladly  trace  the  history  of  each  mission  of  the 
Board  in  similar  detail,  and  educe  its  teaching  and  testi- 
mony on  this  point,  but  my  limits  forbid.  I  can  only  pre- 
sent brief  notices  of  three  or  four  of  the  remaining  missions. 


CHAPTER     IX. 


MISSIONS   TO   THE   NORTH-AMERICAN   INDIANS. 
Indian  Ferocity  tamed  by  tho  Schools. 

The  first  attempts  of  the  American  Board  to  evangelize 
the  aborigines  of  our  own  land,  were  made  in  behalf  of  the 
Cherokees,  in  1816.  The  first  proposition  was  to  establish 
schools.  Whereupon  the  chiefs  in  council  replied :  "  We 
have  listened  to  what  you  have  said,  and  understand  it. 
We  are  glad  to  see  you.  We  wish  to  have  the  schools 
established,  and  hope  they  will  be  of  great  advantage  to  the 
nation."  This  offer  of  schools  tamed  their  ferocity,  subdued 
tlieir  opposition,  and  won  them  to  listen  to  Christian  teach- 
ing. Hence,  the  very  next  3'ear,  the  station  having  been 
organized  at  Brainard,  Mr.  Kingsbury  reports  26  boarding- 
pupils,  and  rejoices  in  the  conversion  of  Catherine  Brown, 
an  interesting  girl,  and  the  first-fruit  of  the  mission. 

In  1818  the  missionaries  say:  "  We  feel  ourselves  under 
renewed  and  increasing  obligations  of  gratitude  to  the  Giver 
of  all  good,  for  hopeful  appearances  among  our  [school] 
children.  Several  of  them  appear  seriously  and  solemnly 
impressed  with  divine  truth,  and  we  have  hope  that  two  or 
three  of  them  have  recently  been  born  of  the  Spirit." 

This  year  the  Choctaw  mission  was  projected,  and  its  site 
fixed  at  Elliot. 


368  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Conversion  of  John  Arch. 

In  1819  the  schools  were  enlarged,  and  their  influence  is 
happily  illustrated  by  the  case  of  John  Arch,  one  of  the 
converts.  Having  attended  school  a  short  time  in  his  child- 
hood, he  kept  and  studied  his  spelling-book  till  worn  out. 
Hearing  that  a  school  had  been  established  for  his  people 
at  Brainard,  he  hastened  thither,  160  miles,  on  foot,  and 
sought  admittance.  His  age  (25)  and  wild  and  savage  ap- 
pearance were  much  against  him,  but  he  sold  his  gun,  his 
dearest  treasure,  to  procure  decent  clothing,  and  was  so  im- 
portunate that  it  was  difficult  to  refuse  him.  He  was  admit- 
ted, proved  diligent  and  earnest  in  study,  the  truth  reached 
his  heart,  and  he  became  enlightened  and  anxious  about  his 
soul.     lie  was  baptized,  and  became  a  helper  in  the  mission. 

The  Choctaw  mission  school  closed  this  year  with  60  pu- 
pils, and  its  influence  on  the  chiefs  and  people  appeared  in 
subscriptions  and  appropriations  of  $200,  $600,  $700,  and 
$2000,  for  supporting  it,  and  establishing  other  schools. 

In  1820  petitions  came  in  from  Creek  Path,  Fort  Arm- 
strong, and  other  places  among  the  Cherokees,  for  schools, 
and  their  establishment  resulted  in  securing  attention  to 
Christian  teaching,  the  conversion  of  precious  souls,  and  "  a 
great  advance  in  civilization." 

The  Choctaws,  too,  showed  increasing  "  zeal  for  the  edu- 
cation of  their  children,"  of  whom  80  were  in  school,  and 
many  had  been  refused  for.  want  of  means.  So  much  had 
the  schools  won  ujDon  the  favor  of  the  Choctaws,  that  they 
devoted  their  annuity  of  $6000  a  year  for  the  support  of  the 
mission. 

Conversions  in  the  Schools. 

In  1821  the  mission  reports  a  precious  revival  among  the 
Cherokees.  Where  did  it  originate  ?  The  journal  of  the 
mission  says :  "  Early  in  August  an  uncommon  degree  of 
seriousness  commenced  among  the  older  boys  in  the  school. 
They  soon  began  to  hold  conferences  and  prayer-meetings 
by  themselves,"  Conversions  followed,  and  the  fire  kindled 
and  spread. 


CON-VERSIOyS  IN   THE  SCHOOLS.  S69 

The  Choctaw  school  at  Elliot  was  blessed.  ''A  general 
seriousness  commenced  among  the  80  pupils  in  March.  It 
continued  to  increase,  and  in  a  few  weeks  several  were 
anxiously  inquiring  what  they  must  do  to  be  saved." 
"  Hopes  were  entertained  of  the  conversion  of  two  of  the 
boys,"  ''  and  the  spirit  of  inquiry  was  spreading  and  deepen- 
ing in  the  school." 

In  1822  the  work  prospered  at  Brainard,  and  missionary 
work  was  fairly  commenced  at  D wight,  in  Arkansas,  with  a 
school  of  50  pupils.  The  Choctaw  mission  increased  its 
schools,  the  chiefs  and  people  making  these  the  special  object 
of  their  petitions.  There  were  conversions  at  Elliot  and 
Mahew,  and  a  precious  revival  at  Bethel. 

In  1823,  ''  at  the  earnest  request  of  the  people,  three  new 
stations  were  formed,  and  schools  opened  at  all  of  them." 
At  Dwight  the  school  had  60  pupils,  and  "  sentiments  favor- 
able to  the  mission,  to  education  and  good  morals,  were 
gradually  gaining  ground."  Among  the  Choctaws,  "the 
chiefs  in  council  urged  the  establishment  of  a  great  number 
of  small  schools,  in  different  parts  of  the  nation."  The  Pru- 
dential Committee  gladly  approved  this  measure. 

In  1824  "  the  schools  continued  to  gain  confidence  among 
the  people,  and  several  new  schools  were  opened."  More 
than  60  converts  were  gathered  into  the  churches  this  year. 

In  1825  "  the  schools  were  improved,  the  Gospel  was 
preached  more  extensively,  and  there  were  some  instances 
of  conversion."  This  year  was  signalized  by  "  the  transla- 
tion of  the  New  Testament  from  the  original  Greek  into  the 
Cherokee  language,  by  a  Cherokee,  in  an  alphabet  invented 
by  another  Cherokee,"  by  the  name  of  Guess  ;  and  also  by 
the  commencement  of  tlie  first  newspaper  (the  Phoenix)  in 
their  language. 

In  1826  we  read :  "  From  year  to  year,  the  schools  were 
in  better  order,  and  the  pupils  made  better  progress." 
"  There  were  a  few  instances  of  conversion,  and  a  few  addi- 
tions to  the  churches." 

In  1827  "  the  schools  were  generally  successful.  There 
was   some   special    seriousness,   and    some   were    added   to 


870  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

the  cliurches."  The  people  anxiously  requested  more 
schools. 

Of  seven  existiug  missions  now  taken  under  the  care  of 
the  American  Board,  the  one  at  Mackinaw  had  112  board- 
ing-scholars, "  and  there  had  been  several  interesting  cases 
of  conversion."  At  Maumee  were  32  pupils,  of  whom 
"  six  gave  evidence  of  piety." 

We  may  not  stop  to  trace  the  history  of  these  missions 
through  their  subsequent  years.  Glancing  on  to  1843,  we 
find  such  an  advance  in  education,  intelligence  and  good 
morals,  that  schools  were  highly  appreciated,  and  the  Choc- 
taws  voted  an  annual  appropriation  of  $26,300  to  support 
them.  From  one  school  "10  or  12  have  been  received  to 
the  Church  of  Christ." 

Revivals  in  the  Schools. 

In  1846,  reporting  a  blessed  revival  among  the  Choctaws, 
the  mission  says :  "  The  revival  appeared  first  in  our  school. 
Many  of  the  scholars  commenced  prayer,  and  that  without 
any  particular  suggestion  from  us."  "At  our  communion 
season,  30  or  more  came  forward  bathed  in  tears,  and  asked 
what  they  must  do  to  be  saved.  Some  were  pupils  in  our 
schools,"  and  some  were  their  fathers  and  mothers.  At  the 
next  communion  21  were  received,  "12  of  them  pupils  in 
our  school.^' 

At  the  close  of  this  service,  "  the  cloud  of  mercy  seemed 
to  break  over  us,  and  we  all,  parents  and  children,  teachers 
and  pupils,  missionaries  and  people,  wept  over  each  other 
with  joy." 

"One  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  this  revival,  is 
the  fact  that  so  many  youths  of  the  schools  have  been 
brought  in.  In  the  Wheelock  school,  7  of  the  pupils  have 
been  admitted  to  the  Church  the  past  year.  In  the  Good 
Water  school,  24  of  the  pupils  are  church  members,  and  six 
others  candidates.  Numbers  have  been  received  to  the 
Church  from  the  other  schools."  "At  the  Spencer  Acad- 
emy the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  has  wrought  powerfully  on  the 
minds  of  many  of  the  pupils." 


REVIVALS  IN  THE  SCHOOLS.  ^1 

In  1848  the  report  says :  "  The  interest  taken  by  the 
Choctaws,  even  from  the  commencement  of  the  mission,  in 
the  intellectual  advancement  of  the  nation,  has  been  highly 
praiseworthy." 

"Next  to  the  churches,  the  boarding-schools  claim  our 
attention,  as  the  most  striking  feature  of  the  Choctaw  mis- 
sion." "Keligious  instruction  holds  a  much  more  promi- 
nent place,  [in  the  Choctaw  schools  than  in  our  common 
schools ;]  hence  the  comparatively  large  number  of  pupils 
who  have  professedly  become  new  creatures  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

In  1849  we  fmd  that  ''  these  schools  have  prepared  the 
way  for  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  several  places,"  and 
not  only  so,  but  "the  pupils  have  attained  to  a  saving 
knowledge  of  the  plan  of  salvation."  Of  the  school  at 
Wheelock,  the  mission  writes :  "  There  is  at  the  present 
time  a  most  interesting  state  of  religious  feeling ;  and  sev- 
eral of  the  older  girls  express  a  hope  of  having  passed  from 
death  unto  life.  AYe  can  not  but  feel  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  evidently  operating  upon  the  minds  of  not  a  few  of  the 
children  under  our  care." 

Two  pupils  had  just  been  admitted  to  the  Church  at 
Wheelock,  and  six  at  Good  Water,  making  in  the  latter 
school  26  church  members. 

In  1851  the  report  says :  "  The  condition  of  the  boarding- 
schools  continues  to  be  gratifying  in  a  high  degree,"  and  the 
mission  again  puts  on  record  its  "  high  estimate  of  the  value 
to  be  attached  to  these  institutions."  "And  the  Committee 
would  report  with  peculiar  satisfaction,  that  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  scholars  are  hopefully  pious."  The  missionary 
at  Good  Water  writes :  "  We  think  that  God  has  peculiarly 
blessed  this  institution  from  its  commencement,  for  we  have 
had  a  revival  every  j^ear.  Last  wnnter  almost  all  were  af- 
fected by  divine  truth,  and  12  have  since  united  with  the 
Church." 

In  1852  the  Committee  say  of  tlie  boarding-schools: 
"  Hitherto  their  success  has  been  all  that  the  most  sanguine 
could  have  anticipated.     In  fact,  nothing  is  accomplishing 


372  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

more  for  tlie  elevation  of  the  Choctaw  nation  tban  these 
institutions."  Mr.  Kmgsbury  writes :  "  All  our  larger 
scholars  are  members  of  the  Church."  The  great  desire  of 
the  chiefs  and  people  was  for  more  schools.  Mr.  Hotchkin 
writes :  "  This  is  the  gi^eat  subject  among  the  people. 
^Schooh^^  'Schools,'  '  SCHOOLS,' sound  in  my  ear,  wher- 
ever I  go.  '  Is  the  Board  acquainted  with  our  wants  r'  they 
say ;   '  will  you  not  write  to  them  to  send  us  a  teacher  T  " 

In  1854  a  precious  revival  is  reported  in  these  schools. 
Mr.  Kingsbury  writes :  "  The  Holy  Spirit  seems  to  be 
moving  the  hearts  of  some  of  these  children,  in  a  very  re- 
markable manner.  It  is  now  about  five  weeks  since  the 
work  commenced.  No  special  efforts  were  used.  The 
Spirit  seemed  to  make  effectual  the  ordinary  means  of  reli- 
gious instruction.  We  have  never  before  seen  among  Choc- 
taw children  such  a  deep  sense  of  sin,  with  such  mourning 
and  bitterness  on  account  of  it.  There  have  been  repeated 
instances  where  our  pupils  wished  to  be  excused  from  going 
to  their  meals,  saying  that  they  wished  to  spend  the  time  in 
prayer.  The  teachers  have  informed  me  that  after  the  gii'ls 
retired  last  night  to  their  lodging-room,  several  continued  in 
prayer  until  two  o'clock."  Mark  the  correspondence,  in  the 
results  of  these  schools  among  the  red  children  of  our  own 
Western  forests,  and  the  idolaters  of  India  and  Ceylon. 

In  1835  another  revival  is  reported  in  the  boarding 
schools.  Reporting  the  admission  of  seven  pupils  to  the 
Church,  Mr.  Kingsbury  writes :  "  The  influence  of  this  re- 
freshing from  the  Lord  seems  to  have  been  most  happy  on 
all  the  pupils.  A  quiet,  subdued,  teachable  spirit  has  been 
generally  manifested.  Two  have  also  joined  the  Church 
from  the  Stockbridge  school." 

Such  has  been  the  experience  of  the  Board,  in  its  mission 
schools  among  our  Western  Indians. 


CHAPTER    X . 

MISSIONS   AMONG   THE   ARMENIANS   OF   TURKEY. 

1826. — Let  us  turn  again  to  the  East,  and  examine  the 
history  of  our  missionary  efforts  in  Turkey,  and  especially 
among  the  Armenians.  Explorations  commenced  in  the 
Turkish  empire  as  earl}^  as  1820,  but  no  systematic  and 
permanent  labors  appear  till  1826.  The  principal  scene  of 
interest  was  at  Beirut  and  vicinity,  where  some  six  free 
schools  had  been  opened  under  hired  teachers,  with  an  av- 
erage attendance  of  305  pupils.  The  interest  in  the  truth 
awakened  by  these  schools  roused  the  anger  and  opposition 
of  the  corrupt  priesthood,  and  anathemas  were  read  against 
them  in  both  the  Latin  and  Greek  churches. 

Teachers  become   the  First  Converts. 

Yet  "  the  mission  rejoiced  over  several  converts  who  ap- 
peared to  be  truly  pious.  Among  these  were  two  Arme- 
nians, Jacob  and  Dionysius,  whom  they  called  Carabet,  or 
the  Forerunner;  Gregory  Wotabet,  an  Armenian  priest, 
engaged  as  a  literary  assistant  to  Mr.  Goodell ;  Gregory's 
wife ;  her  brother,  Joseph  Leflufy,  a  Greek  Catholic,  en- 
gaged in  the  autumn  as  an  agent  in  establishing  and  super- 
intending schools;  Asaad  Jacob,  a  Greek  youth,  who  after- 
Avards  apostatized,  [though  his  subsequent  life  was  such  as 
to  furnish  hope  that  he  was  a  truly  pious  man;]  and  espe- 
cially Asaad  Shidiak,"  who  was  decoyed  into  the  hands  of 
the  ecclesiastics,  and  after  years  of  imprisonment  and  tor- 
ture in  the  Monastery  of  Kanobin,  nobly  suffered  death  as 
the  first   modern  martvr  to  the  faith  of  Jesus,  in  Turkey, 


874  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

This  Asaad  Shidiak  was  brouglit  under  Christian  influence 
and  teaching  by  being  employed  as  a  teacher^  first  by  Mr. 
King,  and  subsequently  by  Mr.  Fisk,  "  to  open  a  free 
school  for  teaching  Arabic." 

It  is  worthy  of  being  noted  that  all  these  first  converts 
were  brought  under  the  teaching  of  the  mission,  by  being 
employed  in  its  service,  either  to  teach  school  or  the  mis- 
sionaries, or  in  some  employment  which  brought  them  un- 
der stated  instruction.  So  of  the  next  hopeful  convert, 
Pharez,  the  youngest  brother  of  Asaad,  we  read  that  he 
was  "  for  some  time  in  the  service  of  the  mission." 

The  Schools  provoke  Persecution. 

In  1827  the  wives  of  two  of  these  converts  were  admit- 
ted to  the  Church,  and  the  infiuence  of  the  schools  and 
Christian  teaching  was  such  as  to  raise  a  violent  storm  of 
persecution.  The  patriarch  complained  that  the  mission- 
aries ^'have  opened  schools  and  supplied  instructors  at  their 
own  expense."  He  issued  a  threat  of  excommunication 
against  all  who  should  attend  the  schools,  so  that  "  parents 
dared  not  send  their  children  ;"  and  "  one  teacher  after  an- 
other I'cceived  positive  orders  to  discontinue  his  school,  and 
was  forced  to  complj^,  till,  some  time  before  the  close  of  the 
year,  not  one  was  left." 

"What  clearer  proof  can  we  have  of  the  value  and  efficacy 
of  such  schools,  than  this  opposition  from  those  who  hate 
the  truth  ? 

In  182S  we  read:  "The  schools  at  Beirut  were  all  broken 
up,"  and,  as  a  consequent  result,  intercourse  with  the  people 
was  almost  entirely  cut  off.  Years  of  bitter  opposition  fol- 
lowed. 

In  1831  we  find  Mr.  King  at  Athens,  Greece,  and  the 
first  hopeful  item  reported  is,  "  he  soon  opened  a  school," 
which  prospered,  and  others  were  soon  estalDlished.  At  Con- 
stantinople, too,  "  Mr.  Goodell  had  established  four  Lancas- 
terian  schools  for  the  Greeks."  "Some  enemy  sought  to 
crush  these  schools  by  exciting  the  Turkish  government 
against  them ;"  but  the  attempt  failed,  and  Mr.  G.  was  per- 


THE   SCHOOLS   PROVOKE   PERSECUTION.  375 

mittcd  to  '^  establish  as  many  schools  among  the  Christians 
as  he  pleased."  What  was  the  result?  "  Towards  the  close 
of  the  year  Mr.  G.  had  more  intercourse  with  the  Armeni- 
ans. Several  young  men  appeared  much  interested  in  con- 
versing on  the  Scriptures  and  religious  toj)ics ;  and  some 
definite  arrangements  began  to  be  made  for  establishing 
schools." 

In  1832  the  chief  and  almost  onlj^  item  of  interest  at  Atli- 
ens  is  the  continuance  and  hopeful  prospect  of  the  schools. 

So,  too,  at  Constantinople,  Mr.  Groodell  waited  on  the 
Armenian  Patriarch,  and  proposed  to  establish  Lancastcr- 
ian  schools  among  his  people.  The  Patriarch  so  far  listened 
as  to  appoint  Boghos  Fisika,  alias  Paul  the  Philosopher,  "to 
learn  the  system  and  commence  a  school  by  way  of  experi- 
ment." The  mission  established  two  schools  for  the  Greeks, 
employing  in  one  of  them  Mr.  Paspati,  a  Greek  who  had 
been  educated  at  Amherst,  Mass.,  and  '•'  a  little  encourage- 
ment, assistance,  and  advice,  induced  the  Greeks  to  establish 
nearly  thirty  more,  at  their  own  expense."  These  schools 
gave  the  mission  favor  and  influence  of  immense  importance 
at  that  stage  of  its  history. 

1833. — In  Greece  the  High -school,  or  Gymnasium,  re- 
ports 66  scholars,  and  the  elementary  school  76.  At  Con- 
stantinople "the  Greek  schools  remained  as  last  year,  and 
a  new  school  was  opened  at  Pera.  The  schools  established 
last  year  in  the  Turkish  barracks  won  favor,  led  the  way  to 
the  establishment  of  others  under  the  advice  and  direction 
of  the  mission,  and  introducing  and  sanctioning  the  books 
of  the  mission,  hel|)ed  to  diffuse  Christian  truth  widely 
among  the  people. 

In  1834  these  schools  had  2000  scholars,  and  thouG^h 
supported  by  the  people,  3^et,  having  been  established  by 
the  advice  and  assistance  of  the  mission,  their  influence  was 
great  in  its  favor,  till  the  monks  and  priests  began  to  preach 
violently  against  the  mission  and  schools,  "and  even  against 
the  Patriarch  for  favoring  them."  But  it  was  too  late  to 
destroy  their  influence.  The  Armenians  had  become  roused 
by  the  spreading  light.     Its  reflection  made  them  conscious 


S7fi  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

of  their  grossei'  ignorance  and  superstitions,  and  led  to  the' 
establishment  of  the  academy  of  tlie  famous  Peslitemaljan, 
in  1829.  Holiannes,  one  of  his  pupils,  and  Senekerim, 
teacher  of  a  school  in  the  Patriarch's  palace,  became  2:)romi- 
nent  actors  in  the  movement  which  followed.  "  Hohannes 
began  to  study  the  English  language  under  Mr.  Dwiglit, 
and  was  employed  to  translate  the  Psalms,"  while  "  Sene- 
kerim was  employed  to  open  an  Armenian  school  at  Pera." 

Thus  it  was  that  these  youth  came  under  Christian  teach- 
ing, were  hopefully  converted,  and  prepared  for  the  important 
part  they  subsequently  acted. 

This  year,  also,  "  a  high-school  for  Armenians  was  open- 
ed under  the  instruction  of  Mr.  Paspati,  in  Mr.  Goodell's 
house."  So  in  Syria,  at  Beirut,  we  find  the  progress  of  the 
mission  noted  by  the  existence  of  five  schools ;  and  at  Broo- 
sa,  0.  new  station,  Mr.  Schneider  had  "  left  Hohannes  to 
make  arrangements  for  a  school,"  and  "  notwithstanding 
the  opposition  which  some  of  the  clergy  had  excited,  the 
school  was  commenced  with  70  pupils ;  and  in  December 
another  was  opened." 

In  1835  "  the  revival  of  learning  and  piety  among  the 
Armenians  continued  to  advance "  hand  in  hand.  "  The 
high-school  at  Pera  had  received  its  full  number  of  scholars, 
(3i),)  and  many  others  desired  admission."  "Among  the 
Greeks  better  views  of  education  were  making  progress, 
notwithstanding  some  opposition  among  the  clergy.  Sev- 
eral new  schools  for  Greek  boys  were  opened."  At  Broosa 
"  the  opposition  of  the  clerg}^  broke  up  the  Armenian 
school,"  but  the  Greek  school  "  continued  to  flourish,  and 
another  vras  established."  "  Mr.  Schneider  taught  a  few 
Greek  boys,  and  his  wife  opened  a  school  for  girls." 

At  Scio  Mr.  Houston  "  established  three  Lancasterian 
schools,"  as  his  best  means  of  winning  favor  with  the  peo- 
ple and  disseminating  Christian  truth ;  while  at  Beirut  it 
is  joyfully  reported  that  "  the  mission  had  10  schools,  con- 
taining 311  pupils,"  and  an  additional  boarding-school  for 
boys,  intended  to  grow  into  a  high-school,  was  commenced 
with  six  pupils. 


TlIK   SCHOOLS   PKOTOKE   PERSECUTION.  377 

At  Jerusalem,  ^[i-.  Whiting  "  opened  a  school  under  a 
hired  teacher,  in  August ;  but  the  Latin  convent  had  influ- 
ence enough  to  break  it  up."  The  monks  endeavored  to 
break  up  ^[rs.  Whiting's  school  of  Atohammedan  girls,  but 
did  not  succeed.  At  Cyprus  nothing  so  marked  progress 
as  the  school  with  its  78  pupils. 

Thus  alternate  success  and  defeat  in  all  these  missions  is 
easily  traced  in  the  history  of  these  schools.  When  oppo- 
sition  breaks  out  afresh  in  Greece,  we  at  once  read  "  the 
schools  at  Syra  were  broken  up." 

In  1836  "  civilization  was  adv^ancing  rapidly  among  the 
Turks.  The  Lancasterian  schools  were  carried  on  in  splen- 
did style,  and  with  remarkable  success."  Though  these 
schools  were  now  supported  by  the  Turks  themselves,  yet 
the  missionaries  had  originated  them,  and  hence  their  influ- 
ence and  success  enured  greatly  in  favor  of  the  mission. 
This  fact  is  clearly  brought  to  view.  The  missionaries  were 
invited  to  the  public  examination,  "and  Azim  Bey  publicly 
declared  that  the  Turks  were  indebted  to  them  for  every 
thing  of  the  kind.  Some  of  the  Turks  hoped  that  such 
schools  would  soon  become  common  throughout  the  em- 
pire." Those  who  would  disparage  this  influence  in  favor 
of  the  mission,  ought,  in  consistency,  to  disallow  all  human 
instrumentalities.  But  while  the  Turks  were  conciliated, 
''  the  Greek  Patriarch  at  Constantinople  denounced  the 
schools  in  his  encyclical  letter."  The  influence  of  this  letter 
extended  widely.  At  Smyrna,  Scio,  Broosa,  and  Trebi- 
zond  it  broke  up  the  mission  schools  and  cut  off  almost  all 
intercourse  with  the  people.  At  Smyrna  "  8  schools,"  with 
600  or  800  children,  were  broken  up,  but  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation had  received  such  an  impulse,  that  the  ecclesiastical 
committee  were  obliged  to  carry  it  on  themselves,  compell- 
ing some  of  the  teachers  and  pupils  of  the  mission  to  enter 
their  service.  At  Beirut  "  the  mission  schools  were  nearly 
all  broken  up  for  a  time ;  but  before  the  end  of  the  year 
they  began  to  revive." 

At  Jerusalem  "  the  school  for  Mohammedan  girls  contin- 


378  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

ued,"  but  "  encouraging  attempts  to  establisli  schools  in  the 
vicinity  were  defeated  bj  ecclesiastical  oj^position;" 

In  1837  "the  secretary  of  the  Patriarch  resolved  to  break 
up  the  high-school  for  Armenians,"  and  effected  it  princi- 
jDally  "by  compelling  parents  to  take  away  their  sons." 
This  roused  the  Armenians  so  much,  that  another  school 
was  soon  opened  at  Hass  Koy,  so  enlarged  as  to  receive 
000  scholars.  This  was  under  the  direction  of  a  wealthy 
banker,  "  who  in  a  short  time  expended  $5000  on  the 
school,"  though  he  kept  Hohannes  in  it  as  president,  and 
made  it  as  evangelical  as  before.  At  Broosa  opposition 
slackened  so  much  that  the  "  Greek  school  was  again  in 
operation,"  and  two  hopeful  converts  are  mentioned.  Who 
were  they  ?     Two  jyujpih  of  Mr.  Powers. 

At  Trebizond  "  tlie  missionaries  were  unable,  on  account 
of  opposition,  to  collect  a  school." 

At  Beirut  "  the  mission  seminary  was  doing  well,  with  a 
few  scholars,  but  was  obliged  to  reject  several  applications 
for  admission,  for  want  of  funds." 

At  Jerusalem  "the  girls'  school  prospered  under  the  care 
of  Miss  Tilden."  "A  school  for  boys  was  opened  in  August, 
under  a  Greek  teacher,  which  soon  had  its  full  number  of 
scholars,  (2-i,)  and  many  applicants  were  refused." 

In  Cyprus  "  the  high-school  had  seventeen,  and  the  two 
Lancasterian  schools  had  two  hundred  scholars ;"  but  the 
threats  of  the  patriarch  availed,  and  all  three  schools  were 
closed. 

In  1838  light  was  evidently  spreading,  and  a  work  of 
grace  in  progress  among  the  Armenians,  but  as  the  converts 
were  not  encouraged  to  come  out  and  formally  join  a  Pro- 
testant church,  its  extent  and  results  can  not  be  distinctly 
traced.  "  The  high-school  at  Hass  Koy  prospered  the  for- 
mer part  of  the  year,"  but  the  wealthy  banker,  fearing  it 
"misfht  attract  the  unfavorable  notice  of  the  Turkish  g;ov- 
ernment,  and  involve  him  in  difficulty,  withdrew  his  sup- 
23ort,"  and  the  school  went  down. 

"  Several  Lancasterian  schools  were  established  by  the 
Armenians  during  the  year,  with  prospects  of  usefulness." 


THE   SCHOOLS    PROVOKE   PERSECUTION.  379 

At  Braosa  the  three  schools  contained  220  scholars,  and 
progress  was  manifest  "towards  truth  and  piety." 

At  Beirut  the  most  interesting  movement  was  among  tlic 
Druzes.  "  They  invited  Mr.  Thompson  to  visit  their  vil- 
lages, and  to  open  schools  and  places  of  worship  among 
them.  They  applied  for  the  admission  of  their  sons  into  the 
seminaiy." 

In  1839  a  vigorous  persecution  was  waged  against  the 
"  Evangelicals."  The  two  first  victims  seized  and  banished, 
without  form  of  trial,  were  Hohannes  and  Boghos,  who  had 
long  been  teachers  in  the  service  of  the  mission.  The  Ar- 
menian patriarch  was  deposed,  and  superseded  by  one  who 
would  show  more  energy  in  putting  down  the  "  Evangeli- 
cals." Der  Kivork,  two  priests,  a  teacher,  and  several  oth- 
ers, were  imprisoned,  and  subsequently  banished." 

At  Broosa,  too,  "a  vigorous  attack  was  made  on  the  mis- 
sion. Both  the  Armenian  and  Greek  bishops  preached  vio- 
lently against  schools,"  and  pronounced  anathemas  on  all 
who  should  favor  the  mission.  The  books  r«nd  cards  used 
in  the  schools  were  ordered  to  be  given  up,  and  in  some 
cases  violently  seized.  Teachers  and  assistants  were  com- 
pelled to  leave  the  service  of  the  mission. 

At  Erzroom  the  people  were  prohibited  from  patronizing 
the  mission  schools.  Beirut  was  less  affected  by  the  threats 
of  the  ecclesiastics,  and  "  the  seminary  and  other  schools 
went  on  as  usual." 

In  1840  the  former  patriarch,  Stephen,  was  recalled,  and 
some  other  circumstances  revived  the  coura^re  of  the  ''  Evan- 
gelicals,"  and  their  intercourse  with  the  mission.  "Some 
of  them  wished  to  place  their  sous  in  one  of  the  mission 
families  for  education,"  and  this  led  to  the  mission  seminary 
at  Bebek,  which  commenced  with  only  three  scholars.  In 
December,  however,  fifteen  applications  for  admission  had 
been  received,  but  the  funds  were  sufficient  for  only  twelve. 
Mr.  Van  Lennep  commenced  a  boarding-seminary  near  Smyr- 
na, with  encouraging  prospects,  but  the  death  of  Mrs.  Van 
Lennep  led  to  its  abandonment. 

In    1841   the  students  in  the  seminary  at  Bebek  had  in- 


S80  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

creased  to  twenty-four,  and  many  were  refused  for  want  of 
funds.  "  The  patriarch  ordered  parents  to  take  their  sons 
from  the  seminary.  They  obeyed,  and  sent  them  back  in  a 
few  days." 

The  Druzes  were  in  earnest  for  schools,  and  "  Mr.  Wol- 
cott  and  Dr.  Van  Dyck  removed  to  Deir  el  Kamer,  and 
opened  a  school  for  the  sons  of  the  sheikhs."  "  Mr.  Thomp- 
son removed  to  'Ain  'Anub,  to  superintend  the  schools  for 
the  common  people,  of  which  three  were  soon  opened  in  the 
vicinity." 

The  patriarch  now  put  forth  his  energies  anew.  He 
"  even  ordered  the  people  to  rise  against  the  missionaries, 
and  stone  them  out  of  their  villages."  "The  Druze  sheikhs 
were  ordered  to  stop  the  schools,  and  parents  to  remove 
their  children.  The  French  consul  wrote  to  the  Emir 
Beshir,  urging  him  to  stop  these  schools." 

A  conflict  ensued  between  the  Maronites  and  Druzes,  in 
which  the  latter  triumphed,  and  though  the  schools  had 
been  broken  up,  all  four  were  soon  reopened,  and  petitions 
were  sent  in  to  the  mission  for  four  or  five  others.  Even 
the  Maronites  sought  intercourse  with  the  mission,  declaring 
"  they  wanted  schools,  and  were  determined  to  have  them." 

The  Schools  an  Entering-'Wedge. 

In  18'i2  we  find  the  seminary  at  Bebek  "prospering  ad- 
mirably, with  nineteen  boarding  scholars,  under  a  constant 
and  strong  religious  influence."  "  The,  Committee  received 
so  forcible  an  appeal  in  behalf  of  this  institution  that  they 
felt  constrained  to  make  a  special  grant  to  enable  the  mis 
sion  to  place  it  on  a  broader  and  firmer  basis."  A  blessed 
change  was  becoming  manifest  among  the  people,  and  in 
contrasting  it  with  the  state  of  things  six  years  before,  Mr. 
Dwight  writes :  "  l^y  far  the  greater  part  who  [then]  came 
to  us  came  for  the  purpose  of  general  inquiry,  or  to  see  our 
philosophical  apparatus,  or  to  listen  to  a  lecture  on  the 
sciences,  or  on  chemistry.  We  felt  happy  if  by  such  means 
we  could  draw  them  to  us,  and  make  mere  human  know- 


THK   SCHOOLS  AX   ENTERING-WEDGE.  8S1 


ledge  the  entering- wedge,  by  which  to  open  a  passage  to 
th^ir  minds  for  that  knowledge  which  is  divine.  But  now 
how  marked  and  how  delitrhtful  the  chano-c  1"  Minds  thns 
opened  bj  tlie  truths  of  science  were  at  the  same  time 
opened  to  divine  truth,  the  same  result  in  Turkey  as  in 
India  and  other  parts  of  the  unevangelized  world.  In  view 
of  this  result  at  Constantinople,  we  do  not  wonder  that  tlie 
missionaries  at  Trebizond  write  :  "  A  good  influence  is  ex- 
erted through  some  of  the  school-masters,  and  there  is  great 
need  of  schools."  The  Turkish  mission,  this  year,  reports 
"  six  free  schools,  with  125  pupils." 

At  Beirut  were  nine  free  schools,  and  one  at  Jerusalem,  the 
ten  having  287  pupils.  The  seminar}^  had  4-1  pupils,  22  of 
them  boarding  scholars,  and  there  were  11  boarding  girls. 

In  1843  the  Bebek  seminary  had  20  students,  and  live 
free  schools  had  180  pupils.  There  were  boarding  scholars 
at  Smyrna  and  Broosa,  and  an  urgent  appeal  is  made  for 
several  other  schools,  one  argument  being,  that  a  thirst  for 
education  had  become  so  excited  that  if  we  failed  of  meetino- 
the  exigenc}',  the  youth  would  go  to  the  Jesuit  schools,  as 
.some  were  actually  doing. 

In  Sj^ia  the  seminary  at  Beirut  had  24  pupils,  but  for 
some  reason  was  discontinued.  There  were  12  female 
boarding  scholars,  and  twelve  free  schools  had  279  pupils. 
Of  the  Druzes  it  is  said:  "  They  are  as  friendly  as  ever, 
and  as  desirous  of  schools."  "  A  seminary  for  them  is  of 
the  first  importance." 

In  1844  the  seminary  at  Bebek  had  26  students.  Of  this 
seminary  Mr.  Hamlin  wrote :  "Its  collateral  influences  are 
becoming  more  obvious  and  important.  It  brings  into  per- 
sonal intercourse  with  us  individuals  of  all  classes,  who 
would  otherwise  have  no  acquaintance  with  us  or  our  ob- 
jects. The  week  day  visitors  for  the  past  month  have 
averaged  about  six  each  day,  and  the  Sabbath  visitors, 
twice  that  number.  Within  a  few  weeks  we  have  had  calls 
from  Nicomedia,  Ada  Bazer,  Syria,  Alexandria,  Yarna, 
Odessa,  St.  Petersburgh,  Marsovan,  Egin  on  the  Euphrates, 
and   Moosh.      The   philosophical    experiments   they  have 


382    '  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

seen,  the  books  they  liave  received,  and  the  truths  they 
have  heard,  will  all  be  topics  of  conversation  at  their  re- 
spective homes,  and  will  doubtless  contribute  to  that  general 
awakening  of  the  Armenian  mind  which  has  already  mani- 
fested itself  at  so  many  points.  The  seminary,  therefore, 
should  be  considered,  not  simply  as  educating  so  many 
young  men,  but  as  a  centre  of  influences,  which  are  sent 
abroad,  far  and  wide,  into  the  Armenian  community." 

A  female  seminary  was  also  resolved  upon,  as  soon  as  a 
suitable  teacher  could  be  sent.  Three  common  schools  at 
Constantinople  contained  100  girls,  and  there  was  a  day- 
school  at  Galata,  and  several  more  at  Trebizond  and  its 
vicinitv.  In  mentioning^  Mr.  Schaufler's  school  for  Jewish 
children,  the  report  of  the  Board  naively  says,  "Experi- 
ence shows  that  the  effect  of  a  school  for  children  and  youth 
among  the  Jews  is,  to  bring  adiilts  within  the  reach  of  in- 
struction ;"  quite  like  the  experience  of  missionaries  through- 
out the  heathen  and  unevangelized  world. 

In  Syria  thirteen  schools  report  nearly- 500  pupils,  and 
there  were  11  boarding  girls.  "The  school-houses  ar« 
places  for  preaching,  and  the  schools  form  nuclei  for  congre- 
gations, to  which  the  Grospel  may  be  clearly  and  pointedly 
preached." 

Kevivals  in  the  Schools. 

Passing  to  1847  we  find  Bebek  Seminary  with  35  stu- 
dents, one  of  its  graduates  being  ordained  as  a  native  pastor, 
and  "  several  pupils  hopefully  converted  during  the  year." 
The  female  seminary,  with  15  pupils,  was  "  blest  with  a  gra- 
cious visitation  from  on  high."  "Oat  of  18  pupils  only  two 
remained  without  hope,  and  these  two  were  not  indifferent." 
The  influence  of  this  seminary  is  represented  as  "  extensive 
and  salutary  on  the  female  community."  In  dwelling  upon 
its  importance  at  some  length,  Mr.  Groodell  mentions  a  little 
girl  of  only  four  years,  from  one  of  the  day-schools,  and  his 
surprise  at  finding  she  could  read  fluently,  when  he  found 
to  his  greater  astonishment,  that  the  child  had  been  the 
teacher  of  her  mother^  who  had  thus  come  to  the  knowledge  of 


REVIVALS   IN  THE  SCHOOLS.  383 

the  truth,  and  was  soon  received  to  the  Church.  "  The  fe- 
male seminary  has  much  to  do  in  keeping  ahve  and  increas- 
ing this  desire  for  improvement." 

In  Syria  the  seminary  had  opened  at  Abeih  with  eight 
boarding  pupils.  Several  of  them  were  regarded  as  pious. 
The  eighteen  free  schools  of  the  mission  report  528  pupils, 
and  Mrs.  Whiting  had  some  boarding  girls. 

In  1849  we  find  the  seminary  at  Bebek  reduced  from  47 
to  28  pupils,  but  its  "  relation  to  the  churches  and  the  work 
in  general  is  becoming  more  and  more  important."  Tlie 
female  seminary  in  Pera  reports  23  pupils,  and  a  precious 
revival  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  all  the  unconverted 
pupils  except  five  small  ones.  The  influence  of  this  re- 
vival extended  to  the  other  seminary,  and  through  the 
Protestant  community.  The  progress  of  the  reformation 
was  visible  in  different  and  distant  places,  but  it  is  worthy 
of  record,  that  when  the  conversion  of  a  young  man  at  Trc- 
bizond  is  stated,  it  is  also  mentioned  that  he  "  was  for  a 
while  a  member  of  the  seminary  at  Bebek." 

In  Syria  the  seminary  pupils  increased  to  16,  "among 
whom  there  was  at  times  more  than  ordinary  attention  to 
religion."  Some  twelve  free  schools  contained  370  pupils, 
and  a  student  of  the  seminary  and  a  school-master  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  Church.  The  conversion  of  a  Greek  priest 
is  mentioned  in  the  report,  in  connectiori  with  the  schools, 
"  because  it  seems  so  plainly  to  have  resulted  from  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  school  in  his  village." 

In  1850  we  find  24  students  in  the  Bebek  Seminary,  and 
23  in  the  Pera  Seminary.  Seven  free  schools  report  112 
pupils.  In  Syria  the  seminary  seems  to  have  had  20  pu- 
pils. Ten  free  schools  report  271  scholars,  and  there  were 
20  boardin^c  o-irls. 

In  1851  the  Bebek  Seminary  reports  25  pupils,  and  the 
female  seminary  22,  and  five  free  scliools  179.  Three  gra- 
duates of  the  seminary  entered  mission  service.  Of  all  the 
graduates  17  were  in  missionary  work,  "eleven  of  whom 
received  their  religious  impressions  in  the  institution.  Two 
were  pastors  at  Constantinople  ;  »one  a  pastor  nt  Ti-ol)izond  ; 


88-t  !ktTSSION   SCHOOLS. 

two  licensed  preacliers ;  one  a  teacher  in  the  seminary ; 
others  teachers,  translators,  etc.  The  other  graduates  are 
reported  as  in  places  of  influence ;  four  in  custom-houses, 
two  in  Paris,  one  publishing  a  work  on  chemistr}',  one  an 
interpreter  of  Amin  Bey,  one  professor  of  the  Armenian 
College  at  Paris,  another  of  the  college  at  Scutari,  etc.,  till- 
ing posts  of  usefulness,  and  where  their  influence  would  be 
valuable  to  the  mission. 

In  1852  the  report  says  :  ''It  has  been  found  impossible 
to  restrain  the  number  of  pupils  in  the  male  seminary."  Is 
it  not  a  pity  that  the  attempt  was  so  long  persevered  in  ? 
The  report  says :  "  The  graduates  of  this  institution  are 
doing  much  for  their  people."  "  The  seminary  was  in  a 
most  promising  state  of  seriousness."  The  female  seminary 
reports  twenty-four  of  whom  ''  two  or  three  had  professedly 
passed  from  death  unto  life."  "  The  influence  of  this  insti- 
tution upon  the  Armenian  community  is  increasing,  and 
there  is  a  loud  call  for  its  enlargement.  Twenty -seven 
have  already  left  it  with  the  hope  that  they  had  been  born 
again,"  sixteen  of  whom  are  the  wives  of  pious  pastors  and 
teachers. 

In  1^53  we  are  glad  to  find  the  Bebek  Seminary  report- 
ing fifty  students.  "Its  former  pupils  are  employed  as 
preachers,  teachers,  translators,  and  helpers  in  many  places." 
Many  of  the  students  listen  to  the  truth  with  interest,  and 
"  are  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  "  Several,  it  is 
thought,  have  recently  received  the  truth  in  love,  and  will 
carry  its  light  to  the  dark  places  of  Armenia."  "A  good 
missionary  spirit  prevails  among  the  pious  students." 
''Four  spent  their  last  vacation  as  colporteurs  in  the  vil- 
lages," spending  days  and  nights  in  discussion  and  instruc- 
tion. "  The  labors  of  one  of  them  have  been  remarkably 
blessed  to  the  conversion  of  a  man  and  his  wife  in  a  remote 
quarter  of  the  city." 

Who  would  limit  the  numbers  and  usefulness  of  such  an 
institution  ? 

The  female  seminary  reports  27  pupils.  "  Truth  has 
been  brougrht  home  to  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the 


EFFECTIVE    INFLUENCE   OF   THE    SCHOOLS.  385 

pupils,"  and  "  three  or  four  have  come  to  a  saving  know- 
ledge of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  **  The  influence  of  the 
school  on  the  Armenian  community  throughout  Turkey  is 
becoming  more  and  more  important.  Its  former  pupils  are 
widely  scattered,  and  the  reports  of  their  usefulness  are 
liighly  pleasing.  It  needs  to  be  enlarged."  19  free  schools 
report  451  scholars,  a  most  desirable  increase  in  these  agen- 
cies, and  to  these  must  be  added  60  children  and  150  adult 
scholars  at  Aintab. 

Effective  Influence  of  the  Schools. 

In  Syria,  the  female  boarding-school  reports  17  pupils, 
and  its  value  and  influence  are  emphatically  attested  by  the 
missionaries.  They  say :  "Our  mission  can  present  some 
most  interesting  examples  of  the  potent  influence  of  edu- 
cation and  religion  on  the  female  character  in  Syria.  The 
seminary  for  boys  reports  25  students,  and  20  free  schools, 
664:  pupils.  Nine  teachers  were  members  of  the  church, 
the  larger  portion  of  the  teachers  still  being  unevangelized. 

In  1854  we  find  the  Bebek  Seminary  "  every  way  en- 
couraging and  progressive.  Its  number  of  pupils  50." 
"  Seven  of  them  are  candidates  for  the  ministry."  The 
female  boarding-school  reports  35  boarding,  and  12  day 
scholars.  In  alluding  to  a  new  class  of  ten,  an  incidental 
remark  of  the  report  discloses  one  blessed  fact  showing  the 
great  value  of  such  schools.  It  is  this :  "  When  a  child  is 
thus  given,  [as  a  pupil,]  the  whole  family  is  usually  gained." 
Here  is  the  secret  of  the  very  large  blessing  which  God  has 
bestowed  on  our  mission  schools. 

At  Aintab,  the  seminary  reports  37  pupils  ;  the  boys' 
elementary  school  100,  and  the  girls'  school  80  scholars. 
These  and  a  private  school  of  60  girls,  the  missionaries  say, 
"  are  doing  much  for  Protestantism."  *'  50  adult  females 
have  begun  to  learn  to  read  during  the  year ;  more  than  50 
have  already  learned  to  read  well,  and  many  others  are  in 
process  of  learning." 

This  lively  interest  in  education  at  Aintab  prepares  us  for 

17 


SS6  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

the  fact  that  a  special  blessing  has  rested  upon  that  station. 
The  whole  number  of  free  schools  in  the  mission  rose  this 
year  to  25,  with  788  pupils. 

In  Syria,  21  free  schools  report  568  pupils,  about  half  of 
the  teachers  being  members  of  the  Church.  The  female 
seminary,  with  twenty  pupils,  is  more  than  ever  appreciated, 
and  some,  when  refused,  besought  the  mission  to  receive 
their  children  into  their  families.  "  They  blame  the  mission- 
aries for  not  making  sufficient  provision  for  meeting  the  de- 
mand which  they  have  labored  to  create."  The  seminary  at 
Abeih  reports  only  18  pupils  ;  "  Mr.  Calhoun  and  Mr.  Bird 
call  attention  to  the  usefulness  of  the  schools  under  their 
care,  and  the  importance  of  adding  to  their  number."  "  Had 
we  the  requisite  funds,"  they  say,  "we  could  at  once  open 
several  new  schools,  with  encouraging  prospects  of  success." 

In  1855  we  find  the  female  boarding-school  at  Constan- 
tinople again  restricted  to  25,  although  its  value  is  attested 
in  the  admission  of  six  of  its  pupils  to  the  Church,  and  in- 
creasing interest  led  several  others  to  personal  consecration 
to  Christ. 

In  the  Bebek  Seminary  we  regret  to  find  the  Greek  de- 
partment suspended,  and  only  40  Armenian  students.  The 
prudent  management  of  Mr.  Hamlin  made  the  institution, 
for  a  time,  self-supporting.  Five  of  the  students  were 
licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  went  out  to  different 
posts,  and  others  were  preparing  for  the  same  service,  and 
in  the  mean  time  doing  much  good  as  colporteurs  and  in 
other  ways.  "  Six  of  the  students  during  the  year  have 
publicly  professed  their  faith  in  Christ,  all  of  whom  give 
promise  of  usefulness." 

It  was  found  impossible  to  supply  the  increasing  demand 
for  teachers  and  preachers  from  this  seminary ;  hence  the 
missionaries  were  importunate  for  others,  and  commenced 
one  at  Tokat  with  12,  and  another  at  Aintab  with  9  stu- 
dents, looking  to  the  lower  schools  for  futiu'c  classes.  The 
free  schools  increased  this  year  to  38,  and  the  whole  num- 
ber of  pupils  to  960. 

In  Syria,  the  mission  reports  19  pupils  in  the  seminary  at 


EFFECTIVE   INFLUENCE   OF  THE   SCflOOLS.  887 

Abeih,  and  adds :  "  The  fierce  opposition  of  the  Maronite 
hierarchy  keeps  mai.y  of  their  communion  from  entering 
the  seminary  who  desire  to  do  so." 

"  The  character  of  the  free  schools  is  decidedly  improv- 
ing." These  schools  were  found  so  effective  in  promoting 
the  objects  of  the  mission,  that  the  Maronites  were  con- 
strained to  open  schools,  "to  prevent  all  B'hnmdun  from 
becoming  Protestant."  *' At  Aleppo,"  too,  "the  Roman- 
ists were  obliged  to  establish  a  school,  to  counteract  the  m- 
fluence  of  our  girls'  school."  Can  any  one  desire  better 
facts  than  these,  to  show  the  value  of  mission  schools  ? 
"  Urgent  appeals  are  made,"  says  the  report,  "  for  the 
multiplication  of  schools,  but  the  necessary  funds  are 
wanting.  The  number  now  supported  is  26,  with  772 
pupils,  showing  an  advance  on  last  year  of  five  schools 
and  204  pupils." 

In  1856,  the  Bebek  Seminary  reports  40  pupils,  and  21 
theological  students  were  studying  in  other  places.  The 
female  seminary  had  25  pupils.  A  blessed  revival  was 
enjoyed  in  this  institution,  and  "  not  one  was  left  uncon- 
cerned." "  Of  a  goodly  number  of  the  pupils  hope  is 
entertained  that  they  have  passed  from  death  unto  life. 
Six  have  been  received  to  the  Church  within  the  year." 
The  free  schools  were  increased  this  year  to  44,  and  their 
pupils  to  1151. 

In  Syria,  too,  the  seminary  reports  24  pupils  of  much 
promise,  and  24  free  schools  contain  816  pupils,  showing  a 
continued  and  increasing  appreciation  by  the  missionaries, 
of  these  effective  agencies  in  making  known  the  Gospel  of 
Christ. 

We  will  not  pursue  the  history  of  these  missions,  but  the 
following  items  of  more  recent  intelligence,  show  the  con- 
tinued character  and  influence  of  the  schools,  and  deserve  a 
place  in  this  connection. 


388  *  INfTSSION   SCHOOLS. 


Revival    in  Turkey. 

Mr.  Clark,  Principal  of  the  Bebek  Seminary,  writes,  Dec. 
24,  1858 : 

"  We  have  richly  enjoyed  a  season  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord.  He  has  indeed  visited  us  by  the 
wonderful  power  of  His  divine  Spirit.  An  eminently  spirit- 
ual work  has  been  witnessed  by  us,  such  as  I  have  not  be- 
fore known  in  this  land ;  a  work  presenting  precisely  the 
same  characteristics  which  belong  to  the  great  revival  which 
God  has  been  carrying  forward  during  the  past  year  in 
America. 

"  From  the  opening  of  the  term,  (the  first  of  October,)  an 
increasing  spirit  of  prayer  has  been  manifest.  Our  pious 
young  men  have  been  fervently  praying,  and  meetings  for 
prayer  became  more  and  more  frequent.  A  deep  serious- 
ness pervaded  the  entire  school,  and  we  felt  that  the  Lord 
was  drawing  nigh  to  bless  us.  This  religious  interest, 
though  intense,  was  not  attended  by  any  marked  outward 
manifestations,  till  about  the  middle  of  November.  At 
that  time,  after  an  exhortation  made  to  the  students  to  pray 
especially  for  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  four  of  the 
smallest  pupils  in  the  seminary  commenced  a  daily  prayer- 
meeting  for  this  purpose.  Not  one  of  these  four  was  then 
hopefully  pious ;  but  notwithstanding  this,  the  Lord  mani- 
fested himself  immediately  among  them.  They  were  at 
once  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  their  guilt  and  their 
need  of  a  Saviour.  This  little  meeting  rapidly  increased  in 
numbers,  and  within  a  week  the  place  became  too  strait  for 
them,  and  they  were  obliged  to  seek  a  larger  room. 

"  It  was  only  the  fourth  evening  after  this  little  meeting 
was  established,  when  a  student  who  had  openly  ridiculed  it 
at  its  commencement,  was  constrained  to  go  in  for  once,  and 
see  for  himself  He  had  scarcely  entered  when  he  felt  the 
power  of  the  Spirit  upon  him.  He  attempted  to  speak,  but 
was  so  deeply  affected  that  he  was  unable.  His  distress 
continued  for  two  days,  and  during  this  time,  his  anguish 
was  so  great  that  even  while  in  his  class,  at  recitatioi],  with 


);i:vi\A].  IS  Tlukev.  889 

tears  rolling  down  liis  cheeks,  he  would  frequently  speak  to 
a  fellow-student  who  sat  by  his  side,  and  say:  'Oh!  my 
sins,  my  sins.  How  ejin  T  he  saved?'  But  Christ  appear- 
ed, and  his  soul  was  lillcd  with  peace  and  joy.  Other  eases 
simihir  to  this,  and  of  an  equally  striking  cluiraeter,  might 
be  mentioned.  Some  were  suddenly  struck,  as  with  the 
lightning  of  God's  Si)irit,  and  wept  and  prayed  till  they 
found  peace  in  believing.  Others  could  get  no  rest  at 
night,  but  frequently  rose  and  prayed  for  the  pardon  of 
their  many  sins.  Deep  conviction  for  sin  was  the  striking 
characteristic  of  the  work  in  every  case. 

"  The  effect  upon  the  pious  students  has  also  been  truly 
wond(jrful.  This  visitation  of  the  Sj)irit  has  been  like  a 
fresh  bajjtism  upon  them  from  on  high.  It  has  changed 
tlicm  into  young  converts,  with  all  th(;ir  ardor  of  love, 
their  zeal  and  enthusiasm.  They  are  now  scattered  abroad 
in  the  city  and  surrounding  region,  laboring  for  Christ  dur- 
ing the  vacation." 

Dr.  D wight,  in  January  adds:  "  The  pious  students,  full  of 
love  and  zeal,  went  forth  among  the  neighboring  churches, 
to  labor  chiefly  among  church  members.  One  of  them  went 
to  Broosa,  and  we  learn  from  Mr.  Barnum,  who  is  there 
studying  the  Turkish  language,  that  a  revival  has  actually 
commenced,  the  church  members  being  greatly  stirred  up 
to  confess  their  sins  and  pray,  and  some  among  the  impeni- 
tent being  awakened.  A  few  already,  it  is  hoped,  have 
given  their  hearts  to  the  Saviour." 

A  few  days  later  he  states  :  "There  is  a  wonderful  revi- 
val going  on  here  among  the  girls  in  a  Jewish  school,  un- 
der the  teaching  of  the  Free  Scotch  Church  missionaries. 
Twelve  or  more  Jewesses  have  been  hopefully  converted, 
and  in  a  most  remarkable  manner.  .  .  .  We  have  com- 
menced a  daily  prayer- meeting,  held  at  noon,  in  a  room  in 
Vezir  Khan,  not  far  from  the  bazaars.  We  hope  that  many 
of  our  brethren,  who  are  in  business,  will  be  induced  to 
attend." 


890  MISSION   SCHOOLS, 


Still  Later  from   Constantinople. 

"  Shortly  before  the  close  of  last  year,  very  suddenly 
the  Spirit  of  God  came  down  upon  the  theologitral  semi- 
nary of  the  American  mission  in  Bebek,  beginning  his 
work  of  conversion  with  the  very  youngest  boys,  until  the 
whole  school,  consisting  of  forty  students,  was  turned  to  the 
Lord.  Immediately  after  this  we  held  our  New-Year's  pray- 
er-meeting, and  two  days  subsequently  the  annual  prayer- 
meeting  of  all  the  missionaries,  ministers,  and  Christians  of 
different  denominations  in  this  town,  at  which  the  chief  sub- 
ject of  comment  and  prayer  was  the  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  upon  this  land.  Then  came  a  season  of  God's 
power  in  one  of  the  American  missionary  families,  where 
all  the  household  is  now  safely  sheltered  in  the  fold  of 
Christ.  On  the  day  after  these  last  news  reached  us,  one 
of  the  teachers  in  our  Italian  female  school  made  cursory 
reference  to  it,  to  a  number  of  girls  gathered  round  her, 
before  the  school  had  commenced,  and  the  subject  of  the 
opening  prayer  was  a  recognition  of  the  hand  of  God  in 
these  recent  wonderful  dealings,  and  inquiring  of  the  Lord 
whether  there  were  no  such  blessings  in  store  for  us.  The 
lesson  for  the  day  had  but  begun,  when  one  of  the  older 
girls  (who  has  been  recently  received  by  us  as  a  boarder) 
came  up  to  her  teacher's  side,  pale  and  trembling,  request- 
ing permission  to  retire  to  her  room  to  pray.  Immediately 
after  I  heard  the  voice  of  one  wrestling  with  God  below  my 
study,  without  knowing  whose  voice  it  was.  The  arrows 
of  the  Almighty  had  struck  this  soul,  and  her  distress  was 
intense.  She  passed  all  day  in  this  state,  praying,  confess- 
ing her  sins,  crying  for  mercy,  pleading  the  promises,  and 
receiving  direction  from  her  teachers.  Towards  evening, 
just  as  the  convincing  power  of  the  Lord  had  seized  her, 
was  she  brought  into  the  light  and  liberty  of  the  children 
of  God.  She  came  to  us,  her  face  beaming  with  joy,  and 
declared  that  now  she  had  found  Christ,  that  '  dear  Jesus,' 
who  died  for  her,  and  that  now  she  was  forever  saved. 
Truly  she  now  rejoiced  with  joy  unspeakable,   and  was 


REVIVAL   IN   TURKEY.  891 

filled  with  peace  in  believing ;  to  use  her  own  words,  she 
was  '  full  of  the  Spirit,  quite  full.'  In  this  lively  frame  of 
spiritual  joy  she  continues  up  to  the  present  day." 

"  In  the  evening,  whilst  we  rejoiced  over  her  who  was 
lost  but  now  found,  the  simple  question  was  put  to  our 
boarder,  a  Spanish  Jewish  girl  of  nine  years,  w4iether  she 
did  not  think  of  seeking  Christ  also,  or  if  she  would  be  con- 
tented to  remain  behind,  and  the  same  moment  she  ran 
down-stairs  into  her  room,  as  if  struck  with  lightning  ;  and 
the  agony  in  which  this  dear  child  then  cried  to  the  Lord  I 
shall  not  soon  forget.  The  whole  evening  was  spent  by 
these  two  girls  in  prayer  for  one  another.  We  likewise 
had  a  meeting  for  prayer  among  ourselves,  and  before  the 
night  closed  upon  them,  the  younger  of  the  two  expressed 
a  hope  that  she  also  had  been  brought  nigh  by  the  blood 
of  sprinkling,  and  praise  and  prayer  were  heard  from  their 
room  until  midnight.  The  elder  of  these,  a  girl  of  fourteen 
3'ears,  has  since  been  made  a  great  means  of  carrying  on 
this  work  of  grace  in  the  school.  She  is  naturally  dull,  and 
being  very  irregular  in  school,  she  had  received  little  in- 
struction, and  her  knowledge  was  very  circumscribed.  The 
change  in  her  is  therefore  all  the  more  striking,  the  expe- 
rience and  the  new  views  of  Scripture,  which  she  pours 
forth  like  a  stream,  are  not  the  teaching  of  man  ;  and  full  of 
joy  she  went  among  the  girls  next  morning,  telling  them 
that  she  had  found  the  pearl  of  great  price,  beseeching  them 
and  praj'ing  Avith  them  to  seek  that  dear  Saviour  also.  On 
that  day  there  was  another  case  of  a  soul  seeking  Christ, 
which  terminated  in  what  we  consider  a  decided  conversion. 
This  girl  w^as  formerly  one  of  the  worst  and  most  trouble- 
some of  the  pupils,  and  perhaps  the  last  thought  of  in  con- 
nection with  the  work  of  grace ;  she  continued  all  day  in 
prayer,  and  next  day  she  received  a  sense  of  pardon ;  her 
feeling  ^vas,  that  •  Christ  now  appeared  to  her  more  beauti- 
ful than  all  the  world  beside.' 

On  that  same  morning,  after  the  opening  prayer,  six  girls 
came  up  to  their  teachers,  all  equally  concerned,  and  asking 
permission  to  retire  for  prayer.     Different  i-ooms  were  giv^en 


892  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

tKem,  and  nearly  the  whole  day  we  heard  nothing  from  one 
end  of  our  house  to  the  other,  but  the  voices  of  these  child- 
ren crying  to  the  Lord  for  salvation  and  pardon.  Next  day 
another  girl  was  in  like  manner  wounded  by  the  Spirit,  and 
so  the  week  passed  over,  the  most  remarkable  week  I  have 
been  privileged  to  witness  during  the  many  years  I  have 
labored  in  this  place.  We  have  had  individual  conversions 
at  different  periods ;  we  have  also  had  times  of  refreshing 
firom  the  Lord  in  our  church ;  but  on  this  occasion  we  feel 
as  if  the  clouds  of  mercy  were  resting  over  us,  promising 
greater  blessing-s,  and  we  feel  stirred  up  to  prayer  that  the 
windows  of  heaven  might  be  opened,  and  a  blessing  poured 
out  that  there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  receive  it.  Sev- 
eral members  of  the  mission  have  been  refreshed  and  reviv- 
ed in  such  a  manner  that  they  feel  as  if  they  never  before 
had  known  the  Lord,  nor  enjoyed  his  presence  and  the  as- 
surance of  salvation  as  at  the  present.  So  far  as  man  can 
judge,  ten  girls  have  been  accepted  of  the  Lord ;  among 
these  are  a  Eoman  Catholic  and  a  Greek,  who  have  shared 
in  the  blessing;  seven  are  still  anxiously  seeking,  while 
deep  solemnity  and  a  feeling  of  concern  pervades  the  whole 
school.  This  week  the  girls  have  two  prayer-meetings  at 
mid-day,  the  elder  and  the  younger  pupils  apart ;  we  hear 
them  singing  and  praying  during  the  time  of  recess,  and  we 
Avatch  these  tokens  with  increasing  interest.  "With  startling 
rapidity  the  news  reached  the  Jewish  houses,  some  of  the 
newly  converted  girls  were  so  full  of  what  they  had  expe- 
rienced, that  they  openly  declared  to  their  parents  that  they 
had  now  looked  to  Christ  as  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  were 
no  longer  Jews,  but  Christians.  We  were  therefore  pre- 
pared for  nothing  short  of  a  complete  emptying  of  the 
school,  but  wonderful  to  relate,  the  Lord  has  been  gi-eater 
than  our  fears.  Nine  have  indeed  been  removed;  this 
number  includes  several  Spanish,  and  but  one  of  the  re- 
cent converts. 

"  It  is  cause  of  sj^ecial  thanksgiving,  that  all  the  other 
young  disciples  are  still  among  us  ;  and  a  most  remarkable 
fact  it  is,  that  even  Jewish  enmitv  has  been  restrained  ivovn 


REVIVAL   IN   TURKEY.  898 

hindering  this  glorious  work.  This  is  the  doing  of  the  Lord. 
Is  there  any  thing  too  hard  for  him?  The  one  I  have  just 
mentioned,  whose  conversion  was  very  marked,  is  in  most 
painful  circumstances.  Her  Bible  and  all  her  books  were 
burnt ;  and  she  was  sent  to  Jewish  relatives  in  Hasskeuy. 
There  are  many  other  cheering  circumstances  which  have 
come  to  our  ears  from  the  homes  of  these  dear  children. 
One  of  the  converted  girls  gathers  her  younger  sisters  to- 
gether for  prayer  every  evening;  her  parents,  though  aware 
of  this,  do  not  interfere.  The  Greek  girl  mentioned  before 
now  reads  and  prays  with  her  mother,  and  told  her  teachers 
only  yesterda}^,  that  her  mother  has  begun  to  search  the 
Scriptures  for  herself,  and  to  feel  anxious  for  her  soul. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  can  only  add  that  th^re  is  none,  either 
among  our  own  number  or  our  Christian  friends,  who  does 
not  deeply  feel  that  the  Lord  himself  is  manifesting  his 
power  in  the  midst  of  us  in  a  manner  which  we  have  never 
experienced  before,  and  we  all  expect  still  fuller  and  richer 
blessings.     Let  the  Church  at  home  rejoice." 

Who  can  peruse  such  accounts,  without  a  deep  and  irre- 
pressible conviction  that  these  schools  are  God's  chosen 
instrumentalities  for  disseminating  the  word  of  life,  and  sav- 
ing precious  souls  ? 

17* 


CHAPTER     XI. 

MISSION  TO   THE   SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 

Let  "US  turn  now  to  tlie  islands  of  the  ocean,  and  trace  the 
agencies  which  have  been  most  successful  in  bringing  the 
Gospel  to  bear  on  their  inhabitants. 

Origin  of  the  Mission. 

The  first  band  of  missionaries  sent  by  the  ship  Thaddeus 
to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  came  in  sight  of  them  March  80, 
1820.  The  party  consisted  of  seventeen  persons,  of  whom 
two,  Messrs.  Bingham  and  Thurston,  were  ordained  mission- 
aries, one  a  farmer,  one  a  physician,  and  three  were  school- 
masters, thus  indicating  a  wise  forethought  for  schools  and 
education.  Of  the  rest,  seven  were  wives  of  those  just  men- 
tioned, and  three  were  natives  of  the  islands,  who  had  been 
educated  at  the  mission  school  at  Cornwall,  Connecticut. 
While  this  missionary  band  were  on  the  way  to  the 
islands,  a  remarkable  providence  led  the  king  and  people  to 
renounce  idolatry  and  destroy  their  idols.  They  were  thus 
found  a  people  wonderfully  prepared  of  the  Lord  for  the 
blessed  tidings  of  the  Gospel.  The  missionaries  found  a 
ready  welcome,  but  they  had  to  deal  with  an  ignorant  peo- 
ple, who  had  no  v/ritten  language  even,  and  whose  hearts 
and  lives  were  wholly  perverted  with  the  vices  and  abomi- 
nations connected  with  their  former  idolatry  and  immo- 
ralities. 


KINGS,  CHIEFS,  AND   PEOPLE   LEARN   TO   READ.        395 
Kings,  Chiefs,  and  People  learn  to  read. 

How  did  they  go  about  their  work  ?  A  brief  but  signifi- 
cant record  informs  us.  As  soon  as  they  found  lodgings, 
and  the  very  day  their  baggage  was  landed,  "Zate  in  the 
evening  the  king  ivas  found  busy  at  his  hook,  having  been  en- 
gaged for  two  or  three  days  in  learning  to  read.^''  Here  was 
something  wliich  arrested  and  fixed  his  attention.  The 
foreigners  had  brought  a  new  and  wonderful  art,  and  im- 
pressed with  its  value,  and  their  superior  knowledge,  he  is 
ready  to  listen  to  their  instruction.  So  jealous  was  the  king 
of  the  advantage  to  be  derived  from  this  source,  that  he 
"was  unwilling  the  common  people  should  be  taught  till  he 
had  learned."  "  In  July  the  king  could  read  the  New  Tes- 
tament intelligibly."  He  was  willing  the  chiefs  should  be 
taught,  and  "  in  November  the  mission  had  four  schools," 
and  92  scholars.  This  was  the  commencement  of  its  labors, 
and  wisely  planned  for  the  happiest  results.  The  wonderful 
fact  that  thought  could  be  expressed  and  communicated  oil 
paper,  excited  intense  and  wide-spread  interest,  and  won  im- 
mense favor  and  attention  to  the  mission. 

In  1821  George  Sandwich,  another  native  educated  at 
Cornwall,  was  sent  out  to  join  the  mission.  The  work  of 
teaching  went  on  successfully. 

In  1822,  the  art  of  printing  being  introduced,  a  still 
greater  impulse  was  given  to  the  schools ;  the  king  and 
chiefs  undertook  in  earnest  to  learn  to  read  and  write,  and 
in  September  the  mission  had  500  pupils.  "Delia,"  the 
first  convert  mentioned,  "  had  been  instructed  in  one  of  the 
mission  families." 

This  special  attention  to  education  prepares  us  for  the 
statement  that  "  the  strictly  spiritual  labors  of  the  mission 
were  now  prosecuted  to  much  better  advantage  than  for- 
merly." The  spelling-book  became  an  effective  text-book 
for  teaching  Christianity. 

In  1823  "  Christian  instruction  seemed  to  be  taking  deep 
root."  "  The  king,  his  brother,  12  chiefs,  and  as  many  dis- 
tinguished women,  were  learning  to  read  and  write,"  and 
200  pupils  are  reported  in  one  school. 


396  MLSSIOX   SCHOOLS. 

In  1824  "  the  schools  flourished."  The  regents  and  chiefs 
convened  the  people  to  declare  to  them  their  own  purpose 
*'  concerning  learning  and  the  law  of  Jehovah."  "  The  peo- 
ple in  various  parts  of  the  islands  were  ordered  to  build 
school-houses  and  receive  instruction.  Before  the  end  of 
the  year,  50  natives  were  employed  as  teachers,  and  at  least 
2000  had  learned  to  read."  Nearly  cdl  these  teachers  were 
still  heathen.  What  a  terrible  hindrance  to  this  mission, 
had  our  modern  theory  then  been  enforced,  that  none  but 
Christian  teachers  should  be  employed ! 

With  this  advance  of  education,  "  the  cause  of  religion 
advanced,"  and  some  were  found  to  be  "  praying  men." 

The  Eev.  Mr.  Ellis,  of  the  London  Missionary  Societ}', 
spent  some  two  years  in  joint  labor  with  our  missionaries  on 
the  islands,  up  to  this  date,  and  doubtless  his  former  experi- 
ence on  the  Society  Islands  proved  of  valuable  service  to 
our  mission  in  its  early  history. 

In  1825  "the  schools  prospered."  "Every  where  the 
chiefs  selected  the  most  forward  scholars,  and  sent  them  out 
to  teach  others."  "  40  schools  were  known  to  be  in  opera- 
tion on  Hawaii,  and  the  number  was  greatly  increased 
during  the  year."  The  number  of  learners  was  estimated 
at  16,000.  The  young  princess,  Nahienaena,  showed  her 
regard  for  learning  by  forbidding  "  any  to  enter  her  house 
who  could  not  read  hymns."  Learning  and  religion  were 
always  associated,  and  increased  attention  to  reading  and 
education  was  followed  by  a  revival  of  genuine  piet}^,  and 
many  hopeful  conversions. 

In  1826  the  number  of  pupils  in  some  400  schools  is  esti- 
mated at  25,000,  and  "  2000  persons  were  known  to  be  in 
the  habit  of  family  and  secret  jDrayer." 

In  1827  "the  number,  both  of  schools  and  learners,  in- 
creased greatly."  "  Some  of  the  principal  chiefs  spent  a 
part  of  their  time  in  teaching."  "  The  morals  and  customs 
of  the  people  improved."  Twelve  were  received  to  the 
Church,  making  the  "  whole  number  of  native  membei's 
23."  "  Ten  of  these  were  among  the  highest  chiefs  of  the 
islands,  and  other  chiefs  stood  propounded." 


HEVIVALS   IN    Tlir.   SCIIOOl-S.  397 

Revivals  in  the  Schools. 

In  1828,  on  Maui  and  three  smaller  islands  ^vere  found 
225  schools,  with  10,243  scholars,  and  the  number  soon 
after  rose  to  18,000  scholars,  in  a  population  of  only  37,000 
in  all.  The  adults,  as  well  as  children,  thronged  the  schools 
for  instruction,  and  the  whole  number  of  scholars  on  the 
islands  was  not  less  than  45,000.  Minds  thus  aroused  could 
not  neglect  the  higher  interests  of  the  soul.  A  revival  fol- 
lowed, and  the  year  closed  with  108  communicants,  and 
multitudes  were  becoming  enlightened,  and  anxious  to  kno v; 
what  they  should  do  to  be  saved. 

In  1829  we  find  39,208  scholai-s  reported,  and  185  cora- 
numicants.  The  influence  of  the  schools  was  felt  through- 
out the  islands  in  favor  of  Christianity,  and  nearly  half  the 
population  was  receiving  instruction  in  them. 

In  1830  there  were  900  schools  and  44,895  scholars.  112 
were  received  to  church  fellowship. 

A  reinforcement  this  year  of  four  missionaries  and  their 
wives,  made  the  whole  number  of  laborers  who  had  been 
sent  out  by  the  Board  44. 

In  1831  the  whole  number  of  scholars  reported  is  52,882, 
probably  more  than  half  the  entire  population  at  that  time. 
"The  teachers,  with  few  exceptions,  were  nothing  but  igno- 
rant savages  who  had  learned  to  read,"  but  the  schools 
served  to  arrest  attention,  and  bring  the  people  under 
Christian  teaching,  and  did  rajDidly  elevate  them  above  their 
previous  ignorance  and  degradation.  But  a  higher  educa- 
tion was  desirable,  and  hence  the  mission  opened  the  high- 
school  at  Lahaina,  with  25  scholars.  The  year  closed  with 
400  native  communicants. 

A  reinforcement  of  19  persons  sailed  for  the  islands  this 
year,  of  whom  7  were  ordained  missionaries. 

In  1832  "  the  high-school  increased  to  more  than  60 
scholars."  The  whole  number  of  jDupils  is  not  reported, 
but  the  church  members  received  from  the  beginning  are 
stated  to  be  577. 

In  1833  the  young  king  relapsed  into  vice,  and  many  of 


398  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

the  people  followed  liis  example.  Hence  *'  great  numbers 
forsook  the  schools;"  so  closely  did  the  interests  of  religion 
and  learning  cling  together.  Yet  the  high-school  made 
itself  felt  for  good,  and  "  at  nearly  every  station  some  of  the 
missionaries  or  their  wives  engaged  in  teaching,"  and  "  ef- 
forts for  the  education  oi  children  were  increased." 

In  1834  "the  Hawaiian  SeTninary^  the  first  newspaper 
ever  printed  on  the  islands,  was  struck  off."  This  was 
designed  for  the  high-school ;  and  another,  the  Hawaiian 
Teacher^  was  soon  commenced  at  Honolulu  for  general  circu- 
lation. Another  reinforcement  of  eight  laborers  was  sent 
out  this  year. 

In  1835  "schools  were  taught  by  the  members  of  the  mis- 
sion at  all  the  stations,  and  greater  numbers  of  children  were 
induced  to  attend.  Hoapili  ordered  all  children  on  Maui, 
over  four  years  of  age,  to  be  sent  to  school.  The  high- 
school  had  118  students.  The  whole  number  of  church, 
members  from  the  beginning  was  864. 

In  1886  the  schools  prospered,  and  a  revival  was  enjoyed, 
"  especially  in  the  high-school."  "  The  first  class  that  en- 
tered this  seminary,  23  in  number,  completed  their  studies 
this  year,  and  20  or  30  of  these  '  graduates'  were  employed 
as  school-masters,  generally  with  good  effect."  212  were 
received  this  year  to  the  Church.  A  reinforcement  of  15 
men  (9  school-masters)  and  17  women  were  sent  to  join  the 
mission. 

In  1837  "  the  schools  improved."  "  Graduates  from  the 
high-school  were  scattered  through  the  islands  as  teachers." 
It  was  sending  out  an  increasing  number  ever}^  year,  and 
"  Mr.  Coan  had  90  teachers  under  his  instruction,"  and  thus 
better  qualified  teachers  were  being  rapidly  supplied. 

1049  church  members  were  reported  in  good  standing. 

In  1888  "schools  were  better  taught,  better  attended,  and 
better  supported;"  and  "progress  towards  complete  civiliza- 
tion was  manifest  in  every  department  of  society"  but  the 
government.  A  great  impulse  was  given  to  the  mind  of 
the  nation,  rousing  it  to  thought,  and  impelling  to  better 
pursuits  and  higher  attainments.     A  large  blessing  followed 


REVIVALS  IN   THE   SCHOOLS.  399 

the  labors  and  prayers  of  tliis  year,  religion  was  revived  at 
every  station,  and  some  5000  converts  were  added  to  the 
cliurcbes. 

In  1889  the  report  of  the  mission  gives  many  interesting 
details  of  the  station  and  high-schools,  speaks  of  200  com- 
mon schools,  and  continues  the  account  of  the  "glorious 
revival"  in  progress  at  the  close  of  the  previous  year.  This 
revival  continued,  and  10,725  were  added  to  the  churches, 
making  the  whole  number  in  regular  standing  15,915.  If 
any  one  would  know  more  particularly  the  influence  of  the 
schools,  in  preparing  the  way  for,  and  carrying  on  this  pre- 
cious work  of  grace,  let  him  read  the  following  paragraph 
from  Mr.  Coan,  giving  account  of  one  of  them  :  "  But  the 
crowning  blessing  of  all  is  the  precious  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  the  school.  These  influences  have  continu- 
ally descended  in  soft  showers  like  the  gentle  rain  and  the 
early  dew.  The  attention  of  the  school  can  always  be  ar- 
rested by  the  subject  of  religion ;  and,  when  they  are  affec- 
tionately addressed  on  this  subject,  the  fixed  eye,  the  solemn 
inquisitive  look,  and  the  silent  tear  tell  the  operations  of  the 
Holy  Agent  within.  Their  consciences  are  already  very 
tender,  and  we  believe  that  many  of  their  hearts  have  been 
formed  into  the  image  of  Christ.  Eleven  of  their  number 
are  members  of  the  Church,  and  they  have  thus  far  adorned 
their  profession.  Others,  we  trust,  are  born  again,  and  it 
may  be  said  of  all,  that,  so  far  as  man  can  judge,  their  con- 
duct is  nearly  unexceptionable." 

The  government  was  this  year  brought  more  under  the 
controlling  influence  of  the  Gospel,  and  this  resulted  in  a 
new  and  improved  code  of  laws. 

In  1840  "  a  law  was  enacted  requiring  all  children  over 
four  and  under  fourteen  years  of  age,  to  attend  school  five 
days  every  week."  Provision  was  also  made,  assigning 
land  for  the  support  of  the  teachers.  The  revival  continued 
to  some  extent,  and  4179  were  added  to  the  churches ;  the 
whole  number  received  from  the  beginning  being  21, -^79, 
and  18,451  being  then  in  good  standing.  Four  missionaries 
and  their  wives  were  sent  as  a  reinforcement. 


40U  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

In  1841  the  mission  reports  857  common  scliools,  with 
18,031  pupils,  6  boarding-schools  with  202  scholars,  the 
seminar}^  with  80  students,  and  some  other  schools.  More 
than  '60  school-houses  were  erected,  and  1473  persons  were 
received  to  church  fellowsliip. 

In  1842  there  were  313  common  schools,  with  19,000 
pupils,  319  boarding  scholars,  and  160  students  in  the  semi- 
nar}'. ''  Of  the  144  who  have  been  connected  with  the 
seminary,  105  are  usefully  employed  as  teachers,  85  are  offi- 
cers of  government,  (8  of  them  teaching  part  of  the  time,) 
and  7  are  engaged  in  other  useful  employments.  Of  the 
whole,  73  are  church  members  in  regular  standing."  A 
large  portion  of  the  boarding-pupils  were  hopefully  pious. 
''A  paragraph  from  ^Mr.  Armstrong  shows  that  the  schools 
are  accomplishing  their  great  object.  He  writes :  "  The 
progress  of  the  pupils  is  surprising.  There  are  compara- 
tively few  children  over  eight  years  of  age  who  can  not 
read  the  Testament."  Says  Mr.  Lyons :  "  I  have  had  the 
most  gratifjnng  evidence  of  the  progTcss  made  by  the 
pupils." 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  when  the  Papists  came  in  and 
attempted  to  resist  and  supplant  the  Protestant  missions, 
they  at  once  '*  decried  and  opposed  the  school  laws,  and 
endeavored  to  counteract  the  chiefs  in  their  efforts  for  edu- 
cating the  people." 

During  this  year  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was  still  poured 
out,  sinners  brought  to  inquiry  and  repentance,  and  the 
churches  enlarged."     The  additions  were  2443. 

In  1843,  310  common  schools  report  some  20,000  scholars, 
the  boarding-schools  361,  while  the  seminary  and  several 
select  schools  continued  to  prosper.  The  school  for  chiefs 
had  14  jDupils.  This  had  been  in  existence  several  years, 
and  its  influence  was  great  and  decidedly  good.  The  mis- 
sionaries say :  "  The  cause  of  education  is  evidently  advanc- 
ing in  these  islands.  An  influence  is  going  out  from  the 
seminaries  to  act  upon  the  common  schools,  and  then  this 
influence  is  reflected  back  upon  the  seminaries,  and  in  both 
cases  the  standard  of  education  is  raised." 


A'AL.Ul-:    OF    THE   SCHOOLS.  401 

**  Christian  instruction  is  obviously  exerting  an  ehvatinrj 
and  improving  influence  upon  the  character  and  habits  of  the 
peopJey  "  Nearly  all  the  children  in  the  districts  attend 
school  more  or  less  regularly."  The  additions  to  tlie  Church 
this  year  were  6296. 

In  1844  the  schools  continued  prosperous.  "  Probably 
nearly  one  fifth  part  of  the  population  is  in  one  class  of 
schools  or  another."  The  admissions  to  the  Church  are  re- 
ported to  be  1110. 

Value  of  the  Schools. 

In  the  report  for  1847,  tlie  missionaries  give  the  following 
testimony  to  the  value  of  the  seminary : 

"  On  the  whole,  the  institution  is  evidently  scattering- 
blessings  throughout  the  nation.  Its  graduates  are  everv 
where  the  leading  members  of  societ}^,  in  matters  civil,  re- 
ligious, and  literary.  Some  of  the  present  pious  pupils  are 
regarded  as  among  the  most  promising  young  men  in  the 
nation."  This  year  the  government  appropriated  8-10,000 
annually  for  the  common  schools,  and  the  Board  had  no 
longer  to  make  provision  for  them.  They  had  kindled  a 
fire  in  the  nation  so  large  that  it  now  became  a  self-sustain- 
ing flame. 

In  1848  the  ^linister  of  Instruction  says  :  "  The  number 
of  youth  in  all  the  schools  on  the  islands  may  be  safely  es- 
timated at  20,000,  and  it  is  believed  that  in  no  year  since 
the  introduction  of  Christianity,  has  the  cause  of  national 
education  advanced  more  steadily  and  surely,  not  to  say 
rapidl}'."  "  It  is  a  cause  which  takes  deeper  and  stronger 
hold  of  the  national  mind,  and,  if  vigorously  sustained,  can 
not  but  produce  the  most  lasting  and  important  benefits." 

Of  the  seminary,  Mr.  Alexander  writes  :  "  It  is  annually 
sending  out  streams  of  the  best  influence  to  every  part  of 
the  nation.  To  it  our  churches  owe  much  of  their  prosper- 
ity. It  supplies  many  of  our  schools  with  their  teachers. 
The  good  of  the  nation  as  well  as  the  prosperity  of  the  mis- 
sion, demands  that  this  institution  be  well  sustained." 

In  the  report  of  the  Board  for  1853,  we  find  the  announce- 
ment :   ••  Jlie  people  of  tlie  Sandwich   Islands  are  a  Christian 


402  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

nation  !  Our  appropriate  work  on  those  Islands,  as  a  For- 
eign Missionary  Society,  is  completed." 

"  One  fourth  part  of  the  inhabitants  are  members  in  re- 
gular standing  of  Protestant  Christian  churches."  "  The 
language  is  reduced  to  writing,  and  is  read  by  nearly  a 
third  part  of  the  people.  The  schools  contain  the  great 
body  of  the  children  and  youth.  The  annual  outlay  for 
education,  chiefly  by  the  government,  exceeds  $50,000." 

From  the  first,  more  than  4.0,000  had  been  received  to 
church  fellowship,  and  22,236  were  then  in  regular  stand- 
ing, contributing  more  than  $25,000  a  year  to  Christian  and 
benevolent  objects. 

What  power  effected  this  mighty  change  in  a  whole 
people  in  one  short  generation  ?  Doubtless  the  Gospel  and 
the  grace  and  spirit  of  God.  But  what  were  the  effective 
human  instrumentalities  in  disposing  the  people  to  listen, 
and  bringing  the  truth  of  God  to  bear  on  their  minds  and 
hearts  ?  Let  the  missionaries  themselves  answer.  Speak- 
ing of  the  schools  in  1852  they  write  :  "  They  are  a  leaven 
in  the  nation,  which  is  working  changes  in  the  character  of 
the  population,  slowly  to  be  sure,  but  steadily,  constantly, 
and  certainly.  They  are  doing  a  great  and  good  work  for 
the  nation." 

Recall  the  history  of  the  mission  from  the  landing  of  that 
first  missionary  band — from  the  moment  the  king  was  seen 
learning  to  read — trace  the  influence  of  the  schools  till  half 
the  population  was  embraced  in  them  as  learners,  and  the 
whole  nation  was  moved — estimate  their  value  in  rousing 
thought  and  bringing  the  people  together  under  stated  in- 
struction, till  the  focus  of  God's  truth  could  be  concentrated 
on  their  hearts.  Oh  !  who  can  doubt  the  mighty  and  trans- 
forming influence  of  those  schools  in  effecting  this  blessed 
work  ?  What  would  oral  preaching  have  availed  to  this 
day  without  them  ?  We  claim  no  undue  credit  for  these 
schools.  To  God  be  all  the  glory  for  the  wonders  of  his 
love  and  mercy  to  that  once  degraded  but  now  evangelized 
people.  But  if  we  would  learn  to  do  the  work  of  God,  let 
us  not  ignore  or  neglect  the  instrumentalities  on  which  he 
bestows  his  special  blessings. 


CHAPTER    XII. 


MISSION   TO   THE   NESTORIANS   OF   PERSIA. 

Shall  we  examine  the  history  and  agencies  of  another 
mission  amonof  the  Orientals  ?  Let  us  take  that  to  the  Nes- 
torians  of  Persia.  Mr.  Perkins,  the  first  missionary  to  this 
people,  reached  Tabrez  in  August,  1834.  He  engaged  Mar 
Yohannan  as  his  teacher,  and  the  first  plain  indication  of 
fiivor  to  the  mission  appears  in  the  fact  that  the  patriarch, 
Mar  Elias,  "  was  delighted  with  the  Syriac  sjjelling-booJc  and 
Scriptures,  and  with  the  prospect  of  printing  in  the  language 
of  the  Nestorians."  Hence  he  "  thanked  God  for  the  com- 
mencement of  the  mission. 

Schools  are  the  First  Effective  Agency. 

In  1835  we  find  the  mission  established  at  Ooroomiah. 
The  bishop,  Mar  Yohannan,  and  priest  Abraham,  had  been 
taken  into  the  service  of  the  mission,  and  each  had  "opened 
a  school  for  teaching  English  in  his  native  village."  "  A 
few  of  the  bovs  formed  the  nucleus  of  a  mission  school  at 
Ooroomiah."  "  It  was  proposed  that  Mr.  Perkins  should 
instruct  a  Lancasterian  school  for  educating  teachers." 
"  Here  one  scholar  from  each  of  the  thirty  Nestorian  vil- 
lages was  to  be  boarded  and  taught  gratuitously,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  about  twenty  dollars  a  year." 

This  school  was  so  popular  that  the  Mohammedans  be- 
came jealous  of  the  favor  thus  shown  to  the  Nestorians,  and 
the  mission  felt  it  necessary  to  open  a  school  for  them  also. 


40^  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

How  significant  that  in  every  mission,  schools  are  the  firsi 
and  potent  agency  to  win  favor  and  arouse  to  thought. 

In  1836  the  seminary  was  opened  and  had  forty-four 
scholars.  "  There  were  also  three  free  schools  containing 
ninety -three  pupils,  of  whom  eight  were  females."  "An 
uncle  of  the  Kins:  of  Persia  visited  the  mission  and  became 
acquainted  with  the  schools,  and  the  next  day,  unsolicited, 
sent  a  firman  commending  the  mission,  and  commanding  the 
governor  to  protect  it  from  all  evil." 

In  1837,  "A  bishop,  two  priests,  a  deacon,"  and  several 
ecclesiastics  were  in  the  service  of  the  mission,  and  there  was 
"  a  constant  advance  in  promoting  education  and  the  know- 
ledge of  divine  truth." 

In  1838,  though  the  financial  embarrassments  of  the 
Board  j^ressed  hard  upon  the  mission,  yet  the  missionaries 
managed  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  suspending  their  schools, 
evidently  regarding  them  as  vital  to  the  best  interests  of  the 
mission. 

Of  the  fifty  students  in  the  seminary  "  two  were  bishops, 
three  priests,  and  four  deacons.  Twelve  were  studying 
English  and  four  Hebrew."  The  unevangelized  helpers 
of  the  mission  were  eight;  "three  bishops,  two  priests,  and 
three  deacons."  Mar  Elias,  the  oldest  bishop  in  the  pro- 
vince, was  superintendent  of  the  village  schools. 

In  1839  the  mission  had  12  free  schools,  with  293  pupils, 
17  girls  in  a  boarding-school,  and  55  students  in  the  semi- 
nary. Priest  Dunka,  one  of  the  helpers  and  scholars  of  the 
mission,  is  the  first  of  whom  we  find  recorded  that  he  "gave 
indications  of  piety." 

In  1840  we  find  the  announcement,  "  Preaching  to  the 
Nestorians  had  now  fairly  begun."  This  evidently  alludes 
to  formal  preaching.  Who  can  doubt  that  the  preparatory 
work  in  the  schools,  and  the  Christian  instruction  thus 
quietly  communicated,  was  quite  as  important  and  quite  as 
eftective  as  the  formal  preaching  which  now  commenced  ? 
Kay,  who  can  doubt  that  without  this  preparatory  work  the 
most  eloquent  formal  preaching  would  have  been  in  vain? 

This  preparatory  Avork  secured  the  favor  of  the  priests 


THE   rRECIOUS  GRAIN   SHALL   NOT    BE    F,OF^T.  405 

and  bishops,  and  through  them  of  the  people.  The  mission, 
from  the  outset,  cmploj^cd  the  clergy  as  teachers  and  hcl{)ers. 
They  became  *'the  foremost  students  in  the  seminary,  and 
the  teachers  of  all  the  free  schools."  The  mission  thus 
availed  itself  of  the  powerful  influence  of  the  clergy  in  se- 
curing its  great  object.  Its  wisdom  in  this  respect  is  dis- 
tinctly recognized  in  the  reports  of  the  Board.  Had  the 
mission  acted  on  the  narrow  policy  now  enjoined  in  India, 
and  employed  none  but  Christian  teachers,  how  changed 
would  have  been  its  history  I  Thank  God  for  the  broader 
and  wiser  views  Avhich  then  prevailed. 

In  1841  the  mission  had  20  free  schools  in  as  many  vil- 
lages, and  a  seminary  and  girls'  boarding-school.  The 
whole  number  of  scholars  was  516,  taught  by  19  priests  and 
19  deacons.  Schools  were  requested  in  eight  other  villages, 
and  "  one  of  them  was  soon  to'be  opened." 

In  1842  we  find  the  value  of  schools  attested  by  the  fol- 
lowing report.  "  The  seminary  contains  70  pupils,  and  the 
female  boarding-school  18.  There  are  40  free  schools  in  80 
villages,  containing  635  male,  and  128  female  pupils,  or  763 
in  all.  The  whole  number  under  instruction  is  851." 
"  The  schools  create  a  demand  for  books,  furnish  fresh  re- 
cruits for  our  seminary,  do  away  the  influence  of  the  child- 
ish and  worse  than  unprofitable  writings  of  many  of  their 
melpanosj  form  a  taste  and  predilection  for  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, open  the  door  for  preaching  the  Gospel^  and  create  and 
supply  a  demand  for  an  intelligent  native  ministry." 
"The  whole  number  of  [unevangelized]  teachers  employed 
in  the  village  schools  is  56,  22  of  w^hom  are  priests  and  26 
deacons." 

"The  Precious  Grain  shall  not  be  Lost." 

In  1843  we  find  44  viUage  free  schools  with  1065  pupils, 
and  the  whole  number  in  all  the  schools  1112.  And  now 
for  the  first  time,  we  see  the  seed  so  long,  wisely  and  pa- 
tiently sown  and  cultivated,  springing  up  and  bearing  the 
first  fruits  of  a  glorious  harvest.  The  mission  was  permitted 
"to  enjoy  a  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  though 


406  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

the  J  liardly  dared  to  call  it  a  revival.  A  few  gave  evidence 
of  having  passed  from  death  unto  life,  others  were  serious, 
and  many  were  unusually  attentive  to  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel." 

Who  were  the  converts  ?  The  report  says :  "  Most  of 
the  hopeful  converts  were  young  men  of  promise,  who  had 
long  been  members  of  the  seminary^  or  in  some  way  connected 
with  the  mission." 

Patriarcli  and  Priests  oppose  the  Schiools. 

In  1844  the  patriarchal  family  became  hostile  to  the  mis- 
sion, and  enlisting  the  inferior  ecclesiastics,  a  storm  of  op- 
position burst  upon  the  mission.  In  all  such  opposition 
why  are  mission  schools  a  special  object  of  attack  ?  Is  not 
the  fact  sufficient  evidence  that  the  enemy  value  rightly  the 
influence  of  these  schools?  During  this  storm  of  opposi- 
tion, the  mission  found  it  necessary  to  give  up,  for  a  time, 
all  its  schools.  Many  of  the  pupils  left  with  tears  and  bitter 
grief,  and  their  strong  attachment  to  the  schools  did  much 
to  dispose  their  parents  to  send  them  back  again,  even  in 
disregard  of  the  hostile  priests. 

The  girls'  boarding-school  was  soon  in  operation  again 
with  43  pupils,  and  a  gracious  influence  was  manifest  among 
them.  We  read :  "  The  female  teacher  of  the  primary  de- 
partment gives  cheering  evidence  of  being  born  again.  Oth- 
ers in  the  school  are  in  a  thoughtful  and  serious  state  of 
mind."     The  boys'  seminary  was  also  resumed. 

In  1845  the  2  seminaries  had  each  40  pupils,  and  82 
village  schools  were  reojDened  with  482  pupils.  The  report 
says :  "  As  many  as  six  of  the  teachers  have  recently  be- 
come hopefully  pious.  The  schools  are  lights  in  the  villages 
where  they  exist,  and  it  is  desirable  they  should  be  multi- 
plied." 

The  Secretary  and  Committee  approve  of  Heathen  Teachers. 

In  the  report  of  this  year  the  Prudential  Committee  ex- 
press views  in  regard  to  the  support  and  education  of  heath- 
en as  hoarding  pupils,  and  the  employment  of  heatlien  teach- 


committee's  approval  of  heathen  teachers.  407 

ei's^  such  as  deserve  the  thoiiglilful  consideration  of  all  who 
are  interested  in  the  work  of  missions.  Four  uncvano-cl- 
ized  bishops  were  supported  bj  this  mission  as  hoarding  pu- 
pils^ and  employed,  at  the  same  time,  as  native  helpers.  In 
justifying  this  practice  the  Prudential  Committee  say  :  "  It 
is  the  belief  of  the  Committee  that  no  part  of  the  appropri- 
ation for  educating  a  native  ministry  in  that  mission,  has 
been  more  proper  than  this,"  namely,  the  $225  paid  to 
those  bishops  as  hoarding  pupils.  "  Why,  if  the  mission 
has  a  seminary  for  training  a  native  ministry^  should  they 
disregard  tlie  fact  that  the  higher  ecclesiastics  of  the  pro- 
vince were  ready  to  become  their  pupils?"  "  Supposing  that 
none  of  them  were  pious,  who  could  tell  what  the  grace  of 
God  might  do  for  them  ?  Placing  them  in  this  connection, 
[boarding  scholars  in  the  seminary,]  was  the  most  appropri- 
ate means' of  bringing  them  under  the  power  of  the  Gospel." 
The  Committee  go  on  to  justify  the  allowance  to  these 
bishops  on  the  ground  of  their  influence,  as  leading  eccle- 
siastics, in  bringing  the  people  into  schools  and  under  the 
teaching  of  tlie  mission.  They  also  justify  the  employment 
of  these  unconverted  bishops  as  native  helpers^  and  refer  to 
our  practice  in  India.  "  In  the  Ceylon  mission,"  they  say, 
"  the  scliool- masters  for  some  time  were  necessarily  heath- 
ens, and  so  they  were  in  the  Mahratta  missions.  In  the 
missions  in  Western  Asia,  it  has  not  been  till  of  late  that 
the  teachers  of  the  mission  schools  were  to  an}^  great  ex- 
tent pious  men,  and  really  interested  in  the  objects  of  the 
missions.  Yet  their  services,  regarding  the  circumstances, 
were  believed  to  be  an  equivalent  for  what  they  cost." 
How  came  our  Prudential  Committee  and  their  worthy 
Deputation  wholly  to  discard  these  sentiments,  in  185^,  and 
to  interdict  all  heathen  teachers  in  new  missions  in  India  ? 
In  1845  they  justified  the  employment  of  unconverted  native 
HELPERS  even.  In  1854  they  interdicted  unconverted  fy^ach- 
ers,  employed  only  to  teach  secular  knowledge,  where  schools 
thus  gathered  were  the  only  means  of  obtaining  a  hearing 
for  the  Gospel.  And  was  this  without  any  change  of 
views  ? 


408  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 


"For  Grace  insures  the  Crop." 


This  year  witnessed  a  precious  revival  in  the  Nestorian 
mission,  which  deserves  a  special  record.  The  first  in- 
stances of  conversion  occurred  in  the  female  seminary.  The 
religious  concern  soon  spread  to  the  other  seminary,  and 
"  increased  with  great  rapidity."  In  giving  some  account 
of  this  revival,  Dr.  Anderson  says :  ''It  began  in  January 
and  Avas  still  in  progress  near  the  close  of  June,  and  has 
resulted  in  the  hopeful  conversion  of  more  than  100  souls, 
including  a  number  of  ecclesiastics."  More  than  50  of  these 
converts  were  in  the  two  seminaries.  "  This  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  properly  dates  its  commencement  in  the  two  sem- 
inaries." Mr.  Stocking  writes  :  "  Never,  any  where,  have  I 
witnessed  in  awakened  sinners  apparently  more  thorough 
convictions  of  sin,  a  deeper  sense  of  their  lost  and  ruined 
state  a,nd  inability  to  save  themselves,  than  was  manifested 
in  the  generality  of  cases  in  the  school  and  around  us.  Days 
and  weeks  together,  devoted  almost  exclusively  to  religious 
conversation  with  inquirers,  in  various  stages  of  interest 
among  the  pupils  of  this  (the  female)  school,  and  with  the 
majority  of  those  interested  in  Mr.  Stoddard's  seminary,  led 
me  to  feel  that  as  genuine  and  wonderful  a  work  of  divine 
grace  has  been  wrought  here,  as  any  I  have  ever  witnessed 
in  revivals  in  America."  "There  was  great  tenderness  of 
conscience,  and  an  uncommon  disposition  to  spend  time 
in  prayer.  During  as  many  as  sixteen  hours  of  the  twenty- 
four,  the  voice  of  prayer  did  not  cease  to  be  heard." 

Speaking  of  the  state  of  feeling  in  the  seminary  the  mis- 
sionaries say:  '* Though  we  have  opened  for  retirement 
every  room  about  the  jDremises  that  can  possibly  be  spared 
from  other,  uses,  such  is  the  disposition  to  pray  without 
ceasing,  and  so  numerous  are  those  who  are  awakened,  that 
individuals  are  often  distressed  because  they  can  find  no 
place  in  which  to  pour  out  their  souls  to  God.  This  even- 
ing ten  of  our  pupils  seem  to  be  reposing  their  all  on  Christ, 
and  are  in  a  very  interesting  state  of  mind."  The  village 
schools  also  shared  in  this  precious  revival.    At  Geog  Tapa, 


GRACE  INSURES  THE  CROP.  409 

John,  one  of  the  helpers,  *'  found  all  the  members  of  one 
school  in  the  village  weeping,  and  some  seriously  inquiring 
the  way  of  life." 

A  young  man  who  was  to  be  bishop  in  place  of  Mar 
Elias,  on  the  death  of  the  latter,  being  among  the  converts 
in  the  seminary,  engaged  in  earnest  labors  for  the  salvation 
of  others.  The  people,  on  hearing  him  exhort,  were  over- 
heard to  say  that  if  this  new  heart  made  such  bishops  as 
he,  "  they  wished  Mr.  Stoddard  had  all  of  them  in  his 
school." 

The  report  groups  together  many  miscellaneous  items, 
showing  the  influence  and  value  of  the  schools.  "  Not 
many  weeks  ago,"  writes  one  of  the  missionaries,  '*  every 
member  of  the  seminary  seemed  more  or  less  sunk  in  stu- 
pidity and  sin.  Now,  besides  the  two  teachers,  30  of  the 
pupils  are  hoping  that  they  have  been  washed  in  the  blood 
of  Christ."  "  We  have  had  in  the  seminary  to-day  25  vis- 
itors, mostly  3'oung  men  from  the  neighboring  villages." 
"  Our  oldest  pupils  have  been  very  prayerful  and  laborious 
in  efforts  to  do  them  good,  and  our  rooms  have,  from  morn- 
ing to  night,  reminded  one  of  an  inquiry-meeting.  We  must 
believe  that  the  seminary  is  thus  exerting  a  powerful  influ- 
ence, not  only  by  training  up  young  men  for  usefulness 
hereafter,  but  by  attracting  around  us,  at  the  present  time, 
those  from  abroad  who  are  in  any  measure  awakened  to  the 
truth."  "  At  Geog  Tapa,  where  ten  of  our  pupils  belong, 
the  effect  of  their  labors  has  been  very  happy,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  vacation  many  of  their  relatives  had  become 
interested  in  the  truth,  and  some  hopefully  converted  to 
Christ.  In  the  case  of  one  young  man,  his  father,  mother, 
brother,  and  sister  have  all  been  awakened." 

At  Karajala  "  the  teacher  of  the  school  "  and  *'  several 
of  his  older  scholars  were  also  awakened."  At  Ardishai, 
coming  upon  a  gathering  of  people,  Dr.  Perkins  found 
among  them  a  young  girl  from  Miss  Fisk's  school  reading 
to  them  the  Dairyman  s  Daughter,  and  telling  the  wonder- 
ful things  of  God. 

Thus,  wherever  the  work  spread,  it  showed  its  close  con- 

18 


410  MtSSIOK   SCHOOLS. 

nection  with  the  schools.  In  1846  we  find  76  pupils  in  the 
two  seminaries,  and  462  in  the  30  village  schools.  "  In  the 
early  part  of  this  year  the  female  seminary  was  blessed  with 
another  work  of  grace,  and  it  is  hoped  that  nine  more  of 
its  pupils  have  been  born  again."  "  Almost  all  our  pupils 
and  domestics  are  hopeful  Christians ;  and  most  of  the  [un- 
evangelized]  teachers  who  have  joined  us  for  the  summer, 
listen  with  deep  interest  to  the  truth."  A  little  girl  from 
Hakkie  had  become  a  Christian  in  Miss  Fisk's  school.  "  Her 
father,  an  untamed  mountaineer,  soon  came  down  to  visit 
her.  The  silken  cords  of  love  were  thrown  around  him, 
and  on  all  sides  he  was  pointed  by  these  young  disciples  to 
the  cross  of  Christ.  He  heard  first  with  indifference,  then 
with  wonder.  As  his  light  increased,  and  the  conviction 
pressed  on  him  that  he  was  a  lost  sinner,  his  heart  rose  in 
opposition.  He  struggled,  though  unsncessfully,  with  his 
feelings.  The  strong  man  w^as  bowed  down,  and  wept  like 
a  little  child,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  trembling  rebel 
became  a  peaceful  Christian.  This  man  was  deacon  Guer- 
gis,"  always  abundant,  after  his  conversion,  in  zeal  and 
labors  for  Christ,  till  the  Lord  called  him  home. 

Eight  months  after  the  commencement  of  this  blessed  re- 
vival in  the  schools,  the  missionaries  reckoned  the  genuine 
converts  "at  not  less  than  loO." 

In  1847  the  mission  reports  73  scholars  in  the  seminaries, 
and  608  in  36  village  schools.  They  value  these  schools  as  so 
many  lights  in  the  villages,  and  find  urgent  calls  to  increase 
their  number.  In  1848  the  Patriarch  again  became  hostile, 
and  another  storm  of  persecution  burst  upon  the  mission. 
The  Patriarch  endeavored  to  close  all  the  schools,  and  ar- 
rest the  entire  missionary  work  among  the  people.  But  his 
wicked  devices  failed,  and  the  storm  passed  over. 

This  year,  too,  the  mission  enjoyed  another  blessed  re- 
vival. It  commenced,  as  before,  in  the  seminaries,  and 
"all  the  pupils  were  deeply  impressed  by  a  sense  of  the  di- 
vine presence."  "The  impenitent  members  of  the  seminary 
were  powerfully  wrought  upon  by  the  mighty  energies  of 
the  Spirit,  some  of  them  being  under  very  deep  convictions 


THIRD    REVIVAL   IX   THE   SCHOOLS.  411 

of  sin,  and  nearly  all  awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  dreadful 
depravity  and  their  utterly  lost  condition." 

In  1849,  32  village  schools  liad  598  pupils,  12  of  thoir 
teachers  were  priests,  "  and  about  half  the  whole  number 
of  teachers  were  hopefully  pious."  The  report  testifies, 
"these  schools  are  a  very  important  instrumentality,"  "  sap- 
ping the  foundations  of  superstition  and  ignorance." 

Third  Revival  in  the   Schools. 

The  seminaries  continued  to  prosper,  and  a  third  precious 
revival  found  its  origin  in  these  nurseries  of  piety.  It  com- 
menced in  January  of  1850,  and  continued  with  remarkable 
power.  "  Scores  have  been  bowed  down  under  the  Spirit's 
influence,  as  the  trees  of  the  wood  under  a  rushing  mighty 
wind."  Of  the  work  in  the  male  seminary  ^Ir.  Cochran, 
after  describing  an  evening  prayer-meeting,  writes :  "  At 
the  close  of  the  meeting  the  teachers  came  to  my  room,  say- 
ing that  the  scholars  were  weeping  and  desired  that  another 
prayer-meeting  should  be  held.  Upon  entering  the  school 
I  found  all  with  their  heads  bowed,  and  many  offering  ejac- 
ulatory  prayer.  For  some  time  remarks  were  made,  and 
prayer  was  offered.  At  length,  however,  the  weeping  be- 
came so  loud  and  general,  that  I  feared  the  result  of  further 
excitement."  He  therefore  requested  them  to  go  to  their 
closets. 

"During  the  devotions  of  the  next  morning  the  intensity 
of  their  feelings  could  find  vent  only  in  siglis  and  audible 
weeping,  and  from  that  time  the  work  advanced  with  great 
rapidity  and  power." 

In  the  girls'  school  the  work  was  no  less  extensive  and 
searching.  The  older  girls  spent  every  leisure  moment  in 
prayer,  several  of  them  five  hours  every  day.  "  Every  day 
gave  increasing  evidence  of  the  power  of  this  gracious  work. 
Up  to  the  close  of  the  term  there  was  no  diminution  of  in- 
terest." The  converts  were  unceasing  in  efforts  for  the  con- 
version of  relatives,  friends  and  neighbors  who  were  still  out 
of  Christ. 


412  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

Tlie  special  power  of  this  revival  was  seen  in  the  semina- 
ries, but  its  influence  extended  to  some  of  the  villages,  es- 
pecially Geog  Tapa. 

In  1850  the  seminaries  had  74  pupils,  and  thirty-five  vil 
lage  schools  had  663.  Another  {fourth)  "  gracious  outpour- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit  came  down  upon  both  the  seminaries 
in  the  early  part  of  1851.  "  There  was  every  mark  of  a 
genuine  revival,  nor  was  the  interest  confined  to  the  semi- 
naries." Commencing  with  these  favored  institutions,  its 
influence  extended  to  other  schools,  and  the  villages  where 
they  were  located. 

In  1851  the  mission  reports  82  scholars  in  the  seminaries, 
of  whom  30  young  men  and  nearly  all  the  girls  were 
hopefully  pious.  "The  religious  experience  of  man}^  of 
these  young  men,"  says  the  mission,  "is  of  such  a  character 
that  a  stranger  on  coming  amongst  them  would  suppose 
that  he  was  in  the  midst  of  a  revival."  The  free  schools 
increased  this  year  to  58,  with  1023  pupils.  "  The  increase 
is  owing  to  a  growing  interest  in  education  among  the  peo- 
ple, and  would  have  been  still  greater  but  for  the  want,  of 
teachers  and  funds."  In  difterent  villages  263  adults,  also, 
were  ranged  in  classes  and  learning  to  read.  "  Every  school 
is  also  a  nucleus  for  preaching." 

In  1852  these  village  schools  increased  to  60,  with  1038 
pupils,  while  the  male  seminary  had  40,  and  the  female 
seminary,  50  pupils. 

A  fifth  revival  is  reported  in  both  seminaries,  described 
*'  as  unspeakably  precious  in  quickening  believers,  reclaim- 
ing backsliders,  and  bringing  a  number,  as  is  hoped,  into 
the  fold  of  Christ." 

In  1853  there  were  79  village  schools,  with  1334  pupils, 
and  the  two  seminaries  had  90.  These  schools  .were  the 
light  and  joy  of  the  mission,  and  its  special  hope  for  coming 
years.  Of  the  54  young  men  who  had  gone  out  from  the 
seminary,  34  were  "  regarded  as  pious,  many  of  them  de- 
votedly so."  "  Nine  are  efficient  and  able  preachers  of  the 
Gospel,  and  19  others  are  so  far  preachers  that  they  can 
conduct  religious  meetings  in  the  villages  with  great  accept- 


SIXTH   AND   SEVENTH   REVIVALS.  413 

aiice  and  usefulness."  "  Twenty-five  are  regular  teachers  in 
the  village  schools ;  one  is  superintendent  of  tliesc  schools ; 
three  are  teachers  in  the  seminaries ;  one  a  translator,  and 
one  a  printer."  Mr.  Stoddard  remarks :  "  In  almost  every 
case  our  scholars  have  joined  the  schools  when  strangers  to 
the  cross  of  Christ.  But  of  those  who  have  left  us  two 
thirds  have  gone  forth  the  hopeful  heirs  of  heaven  ;  and  it 
is  delightful  to  feel  that  thej'  preach  Christ  wherever 
they  go." 

Another  (the  sixth)  blessed  revival  is  reported  in  the  two 
seminaries.  "  Many  were  inquiring  what  they  should  do  to 
be  saved,  and  many  gave  evidence  of  a  saving  change." 
The  work  extended  to  some  of  the  villages,  but  its  special 
influence  was  seen  and  felt  in  the  schools. 

In  1854,  75  free  schools  contained  1245  pupils,  and  large 
classes  of  adults,  both  men  and  women,  were  learning  to 
read,  and  coming  thus  under  stated  Christian  instruction. 
"  In  some  parts  of  the  field  great  enthusiasm  was  manifested 
on  the  subject  of  education."  In  one  village  70  adults 
had  begun  to  learn  to  read,  so  thoroughly  were  the  people 
aroused  to  the  advantages  of  education.  Young  men  and 
women  were  going  out  from  the  seminaries  and  schools  to 
remote  parts  of  the  country,  increasing  this  enthusiasm,  and 
diffusing  light  and  truth  wherever  they  went. 

Opposition  was  attempted  in  some  quarters.  Two  young 
men  from  the  seminary,  attempting  to  open  a  school  in 
Khosrova,  were  set  upon  by  a  mob,  and  narrowly  escaped 
with  their  lives.  This  opposition,  as  usual,  was  directed 
against  the  schools. 

In  1855  the  male  seminary  had  48,  and  the  female  semi- 
nary, 50  pupils.  "They  are  felt  to  be  sources  of  rich  bless- 
ing to  the  people."  "Both  institutions  have  again  been 
visited  with  the  special  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

The  agent  of  the  Persian  government,  Asker  Khan, 
showed  some  opposition  to  the  mission  this  year,  and  his 
opposition  was  directed  especially  against  the  village  schools. 
These  were  consequently  diminished  somewhat,  but  the 
fidelity  of  the  teachers,  and  the  interest  and  courage  of  the 


414  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

people  kept  most  of  them  in  operation,  and  the  report  men- 
tions 60,  with  1120  pupils.  This  {seventh)  revival  is  de- 
scribed as  one  of  precious  and  saving  efficacy.  "  The  feel- 
ing in  both  schools  became  very  general  and  deep."  "  The 
voice  of  weeping  and  prayer  was  heard  on  every  side.  The 
prayer-closets  were  filled  to  a  late  hour  by  those  who  were 
pleading  for  mercy,  and  a  large  proportion  of  those  who 
were  not  pious  appeared  to  be  seeking  in  earnest  the  narrow 
way."  "  With  the  exception  of  the  youngest  and  most  re- 
cently admitted,  nearly  all  were  indulging  the  hope  that 
they  had  passed  from  death  unto  life." 

1856. — Government  opposition  continued  this  year,  es- 
pecially against  the  village  schools,  so  that  they  were  re- 
duced to  53,  with  894  pupils.  The  thirst  for  education 
among  the  people  was  only  increasing,  and  half  the  adults  in 
one  village  were  learning  to  read.  The  male  seminary  had 
69  pupils,  and  the  other,  40. 

Another  {the  eighth)  revival  is  reported  in  both  seminaries. 
In  the  male  seminary  "  most  of  the  pupils  were  more  or  less 
affected,  and  as  many  as  20  gave  evidence  of  a  saving 
change."  In  the  female  seminary  "  there  is  good  evidence 
that  several  have  begun  to  know  the  Lord.  The  work  has 
been  characterized  by  great  stillness  and  power."  Of  103 
who  had  been  connected  with  this  school,  "  60,  or  more  than 
half,  are  hopefully  pious,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  three 
fourths  of  the  present  number."  Of  150  young  men  who 
had  belonged  to  the  seminary,  91  were  hopefully  pious,  and 
*'  a  large  portion  of  all  who  have  left  it  are  either  preachers 
of  the  Gospel  or  very  competent  teachers  of  the  village 
schools." 

We  pause  here  in  the  history  of  this  favored  mission. 
On  which  of  its  agencies  has  the  special  blessing  of  God 
rested  most  largely  ?  AVhat  could  its  earnest  and  ftiithful 
laborers  have  accomplished  without  their  mission  schools  ? 

Recall  the  facts  of  this  and  the  Sandwich  Islands  mission, 
the  special  blessings  coming  down  in  almost  continuous 
showers  of  mercy,  one  precious  revival  following  closely  on 
the   former,    and   impressing   the   divine   seal   upon   these 


EIGHTH   REVIVAL.  415 

schools  in  characters  of  living  light,  and  can  we  conceive  a 
greater  calamity  to  either  of  these  missions,  short  of  their 
complete  extinction,  than  an  official  suppression  of  tlieir 
schools  in  their  early  history,  like  that  which  was  enforced 
in  the  new  missions  of  India  in  1854  and  1855  ?  May  we 
learn  wisdom  both  from  the  large  blessings  attending  these 
schools,  and  the  glorious  harvests  gathered  in  from  them 
when  allowed  to  prosper  unrestricted,  and  also  from  the 
things  we  have  suffered  in  their  suppression. 


CONCLUSION. 


In  closing  this  volume  there  are  a  few  points  which  I  de- 
sire to  guard. 

1.  Will  any  fancy  that  my  life  and  labors  in  India  have 
been  somewhat  restricted  to  schools,  and  that  this  may  have 
caused  an  undue  bias  in  their  favor?  This  would  be  a  mis- 
apprehension. It  is  true  the  first  duties  imposed  upon  me 
by  my  brethren  were  in  connection  with  the  schools,  and  I 
always  had  one  or  more  under  my  care,  except  while  they 
were  suppressed  by  the  Deputation ;  but  my  labors  and  in- 
terest were  never  limited  to  ther^. 

Before  I  had  been  at  Ahmednuo^sur  a  twelvemonth  the 

CO 

mission  sent  me  on  a  preachiog  and  exploring  tour  which 
extended  three  or  four  hundred  miles,  and  occupied  nearly 
two  months.  I  spent  from  one  to  four  months  in  such  itin- 
eracies each  year  of  my  life  in  India,  till  the  last,  when 
health  was  too  much  broken.  I  have  a  high  appreciation 
of  this  kind  of  labor,  and  if  a  Deputation  should  interdict 
it  I  should  grieve  for  it  as  sincerely  as  I  do  for  the  schools. 

I  also  became  much  interested  in  helping  to  prepare  a 
Christian  literature.  Besides  labor  in  Bible-translation,  as 
one  of  the  Committee  of  the  ^^ Bombay  Bible  Societi/,^^  the 
leisure  moments,  not  occupied  in  oral  preaching  or  the  care 
of  schools,  enabled  me  to  prepare  some  dozen  different 
works  in  the  Mahratta  language,  several  of  them  original, 
varying  from  80  to  220  pages,  and  the  last  one,  a  commen- 
tary on  one  of  the  Gospels,  extending  to  over  300  pages — ■ 


COKCLUSIOK.  417 

all  published  either  by  the  mission  or  "  The  Bornhai/  Trad 
and  Book  Society^  If  this  department  of  our  work  were  in- 
terdicted, should  I  not  do  riglit  to  grieve  for  it  ? 

Nor  is  this  all.  As  pastor  of  tlie  dear  flock  at  the  out- 
stations  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Godaverj,  and  pastor 
for  a  time  of  the  large  native  church  at  Abmcdnuggur,  I 
became  deeply  interested  in  the  regular  preaching  and  pas- 
toral duties  involved,  and  estimate  their  importance  very 
highly.  ;May  we  never  be  restricted  in  these  labors !  It  is 
with  an  eye  to  the  harmonious  working  of  all  these  depart- 
ments that  I  plead  for  the  schools.  We  can  not  afford  to  be- 
deprived  of  any  agency  that  helps  so  effectively  to  win 
souls  to  Christ. 

2.  My  beloved  brethren  and  associates  in  the  missions:  Let 
no  one  infer  that  I  am  lacking  in  the  kindest  and  most  fra- 
ternal feelings  towards  them.  If  the  views  of  any  of  them 
conflict  with  mine,  they  will  be  found  to  conflict  quite  as 
much  with  their  own.  I  have  let  them  speak  at  length  in 
these  pages,  and  rejoice  to  find  ni}^  views  so  fully  indorsed 
and  ably  sustained,  not  only  by  all  my  associates,  but  l>y  all 
the  officers  of  the  Board,  up  to  a  recent  date.  Some  of  my 
brethren  found  occasion  to  change  their  former  views,  when 
the  Deputation  came  to  India ;  but  I  can  not  cease  to  love 
them  on  this  account.  The  ties  of  Christian  brotherhood 
are  too  sacred  to  be  thus  broken.  The  long  years  of  co- 
labor  and  Christian  communion  are  linked  with  tender  and 
cherished  remembrances  which  shall  not  be  forgotten  on  my 
part.  I  trust  they  are  aware  that  I  am  always  happy  to  be 
associated  with  each  or  all  of  them  in  the  most  intimate  re- 
lations, and  in  all  efforts  by  which  we  may  save  souls  and 
advance  this  blessed  cause  of  Christ. 

8.  The  members  of  tlie  Deputation.  Have  I  spoken  too 
plainly  of  them  ?  I  suppose  God  gave  us  speech  that  we 
might  speak  plainly  and  honestly.  The  fads  ofhistori/  ought 
to  speak ;  its  lessons  07ir/ht  to  be  garnered  up  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Church  and  of  the  world.  I  think  great  errors 
were  committed ;  but  "  to  err  is  human." 

And  let  no  one  infer  that  I  am  wanting  in  kind  and  fra- 


41-8  MISSION    SCHOOLS. 

ternal  feeling  towards  these  brethren.  The  memory  of  pre- 
cious interviews  for  social  and  Christian  intercourse  in  India, 
of  the  pleasant  week  spent  at  Roxburj  since  our  return  to 
America,  of  the  delightful  season  with  brother  Thompson, 
whose  poetic  taste  is  not  more  marked  than  his  genial  social 
elements' — that  precious  season  when  we  gathered  at  the 
table  of  our  common  Lord,  sharing  in  the  sacred  service ; 
why  should  we  not  cherish  such  memories  till  we  eat  bread 
and  drink  wine  anew  in  our  Father's  house  above,  where 
the  errors  of  Christian  men  shall  be  all  forgotten  or  remem- 
»bered  only  to  enhance  our  estimate  of  the  wonders  of  re- 
deeming love  and  sanctifying  grace  ? 

4.  The  dear  old  Board.  Do  I  not  love  it  ?  Have  not  the 
last  years  of  my  life  been  spent  in  its  service  ?  Am  I  not 
a  life  partner,  and  have  I  not  a  life-interest  in  it,  in  a  higher 
sense  than  is  trae  of  any  co-partners  who  remain  here  in 
this  Christian  land  ? 

The  dedication  of  this  volume  expresses  the  truest  feel- 
ings of  my  heart.  I  have  admired  and  loved  the  American 
Board  from  my  earliest  years.  The  impi-essions  and  pur- 
poses stirred  in  my  soul  by  the  story  of  Harriet  Newell, 
and  that  first  devoted  band  of  young  missionaries  whose  in- 
extinguishable desires,  prayers,  and  efforts  resulted  under 
God  in  the  formation  of  the  Board,  are  among  my  first  and 
most  cherished  recollections.  Oar  dearest  friends  on  earth 
are  those  who  have  ever  loved  this  Board  and  supported  it 
largely  with  their  prayers  and  their  money.  They  love  it 
still  with  an  affection  which  no  mistakes  of  its  officers  or 
missionaries  can  wholly  destroy.  There  may  be  imperfec- 
tions in  the  organirMion  of  the  Board  which  give  undue  in- 
fluence to  some  in  its  direction  who  love  power ;  if  so,  they 
ought  to  be  corrected.  There  may  have  been  lacking  a 
lively  feeling  of  responsibility  and  a  proper  measure  of 
watchfulness  on  the  part  of  the  corporate  members ;  if  so, 
let  them  be  more  vigilant.  Errors  have  been  committed ; 
let  them  be  retrieved.  Restrictions  have  been  imposed ;  let 
them  be  withdrawn.  But  let  no  man  imagine  I  have  be- 
come an  enemy  of  the  Board  because  of  the  errors  I  depre- 


CONCLUSION.  419 

cate.  I  have  loved  it,  and  labored  and  prayed  for  it,  too 
long  and  too  earnestly  for  this.  It  is  embalmed  in  the  sweet- 
est memories  of  my  existence.  I  must  be  permitted  to  love 
and  pray  for  it  and  rejoice  in  its  prosperity  while  I  live. 
God  bless  and  prosper  the  dear  old  Board  forever. 

5.  The  cause  of  missions.  Shall  this  volume  fail  of  its  de- 
sign to  help  forward  this  glorious  enterprise?  Will  any  mind 
take  advantage  of  the  errors  and  conflicting  statements  of 
good  men  to  disparage  the  work  of  missions  ?  Such  a  mind 
would  take  advantage  of  the  "sharp  dissension"  of  Paul 
and  Barnabas  to  disparage  their  apostolic  labors;  nay,  it 
would  disparage  Christianity  and  the  Bible,  because  of  the 
duplicity  of  Abraham  and  the  crimes  of  David  and  other 
good  men  which  it  faithfully  records.  Truth  must  be  will- 
ing to  live  by  truth.  Christianity  is  light^  loves  light^  and 
apart  from  this  element  she  can  not  exist.  Let  not  those 
whose  business  it  is  to  spread  the  truth,  ever  be  found  con- 
cealing truth. 

Ko;  let  the  facts  of  these  pages  only  inspire  a  higher, 
holier  enthusiasm  in  this  blessed  work.  High  above  all 
conflicting  views  of  Boards  and  individuals,  let  the  banner 
of  our  divine  Redeemer  wave  in  triumph ;  and  while  every 
eye  is  directed  to  that  glorious  inscription,  "Go  teach  all 
NATIONS,"  let  every  heart  be  nerved  with  a  stronger,  holier 
purpose  to  do  what  is  possible  to  execute  this  blessed  com- 
mission of  the  Son  of  God,  till  the  Gospel  shall  become  the 
joyful  heritage  of  every  nation  and  dweller  on  our  globe. 

Too  long  has  the  Church  of  God  rested  in  inglorious  ease. 
Too  long  has  she  neglected  her  "  marching  orders.^''  For 
eighteen  centuries  she  has  been  in  possession  of  this  divine 
commission  to  disciple  all  nations,  but  her  efforts  have 
been  faint  and  few — not  at  all  commensurate  with  the  diffi- 
culty and  grandeur  of  the  w^ork,  or  the  priceless  value  of 
immortal  souls ! 

There  needs  to  be  a  reexamination  of  the  foundation- 
principles  of  this  work,  of  the  vital  elements  of  the  Gospel, 
divinely  adapting  it  to  all  consciences,  and  fitting  it  to  be 
aggressive  in  every  land,   subduing  all   hearts  to  Christ. 


420  MISSION  scnooLs. 

And  the  Cburcli  and  every  individual  disciple  of  Jesus 
•needs  to  be  baptized  with  the  spirit  of  dear  old  Caleb,  who, 
conscious  of  the  giants,  and  the  terrible  difficulties  involved 
in  the  conquest  of  Canaan,  was  still  able  to  feel  that  he  was 
one  of  "  a  chosen  race" — one  of  "a  royal  priesthood" — ■ 
one  of  "  a  nation  to  whom  pertained  the  promises" — and 
feeling  thus,  despite  all  the  giants  and  the  counter  testimony 
of  his  timid  brethren,  was  able  to  exclaim  with  holy  enthu- 
siasm :  "  Let  us  go  up  at  once  and  possess  it,  for  we  are 
well  able  to  overcome  it ! " 

The  Church  needs  to  be  more  conscious  of  her  ability, 
under  God,  to  do  this  work.  She  is  not  to  wait  for  some 
new  or  miraculous  power  to  accomplish  it  without  her,  but 
to  feel  that  God  has  intrusted  it  to  her,  and  is  calling  upon 
her  to  put  her  hand  and  her  heart  to  it  in  earnest. 

I  verily  believe  the  Church  of  Christ  is  able  to  evangel- 
ize the  heathen  world  in  one  short  generation.  I  believe 
her  resources,  under  God,  are  fully  adequate  to  accomplish 
this  work.  I  give  utterance  to  this  conviction,  not  hastily, 
but  after  mature  reflection,  and  with,  a  vivid  impression, 
both  of  the  deep  depravity  of  the  human  heart,  and  of  the 
terribly  debasing  influence  of  heathen  rites  and  superstitions. 
Pictures  of  the  dark  debasing  features  of  Hinduism  have 
never  been  overdrawn.  But  sin  has  no  forms  of  malig- 
nancy for  which  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  has  not  a 
remedy,  if  timely  and  faithfully  applied.  I  have  a  deep  con- 
viction of  the  inveteracy  of  Hindu  caste  and  superstition, 
but  I  have  a  glorious  conviction  of  the  divine  power  of  the 
Gospel. 

The  promises  of  God  guarantee  its  triumph.  The  terms 
of  the  title-deed  of  Christ's  inheritance  are  sufficiently  broad 
and  explicit.  "  I  will  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  in- 
heritance, and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  pos- 
session." "  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  the 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ."  "  Yea,  all  kings 
shall  fall  down  before  him  ;  all  nations  shall  serve  him." 

These  promises  shine  out  on  almost  every  page  of  God's 
word,  resplendent  as  so  many  stars  of  celestial  magnitude. 


CONCLUSION.  421 

God  never  meant  tbat  these  promises,  bearing  tlie  impress 
of  his  own  seal  and  glowing  with  all  heaven's  brightness, 
should  fall  lifeless  on  the  foith  and  courage  of  his  Church. 
He  would  have  them  tell  with  their  full  inspiration  and 
power.  He  would  have  the  disciples  of  Jesus  go  forth  to 
the  world's  conquest,  not  in  their  own  name,  it  is  true,  but 
in  the  name  and  strength  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  with 
his  own  pledge  of  certain  victory.  Oh!  what  security  of 
triumph  is  here  !  He  whose  heart  can  faint  or  efforts  tire, 
with  such  a  divine  guarantee  of  success,  deserves  no  place 
on  the  battle-field. 

To  my  brethren,  then,  who  are  waiting  for  the  consola- 
tion and  the  glory  of  Zion  in  heathen  lands,  let  me  say,  be 
strong  in  hope  and  faith.  Cherish  expectations  of  a  speedy 
and  certain  victory.  If  you  ask  the  grounds  of  my  confi- 
dence that  the  Church  is  able  to  evangelize  India,  I  reply, 
Jehovah  has  declared  it,  and  his  grace  and  truth  confirm 
ir.  My  assurance  is  based,  not  on  the  physical  strength, 
or  powerful  intellects,  or  moral  courage,  or  the  zeal,  or 
piety,  even,  of  your  missionaries,  nor  yet  on  the  superior 
"svisdom  of  your  Deputations. 

I  expect  no  new  invention  of  human  wisdom  for  apply- 
ing the  truth  and  spirit  of  God  to  the  hearts  of  depraved 
men.  We  rejoice  in  the  rapid  introduction  of  the  arts  and 
sciences  to  Pagan  lands,  and  rightly  too.  But  railroads 
have  no  power  to  effect  a  moral  regeneration.  Magnetic 
telegraphs — work  by  means  of  heaven's  lightning,  it  is  true, 
but  they  convey  not  heaven's  grace  to  the  heart  of  the  un- 
regenerate. 

If  the  Churcli  in  America  is  looking  to  her  great  men 
and  her  wise  men  for  some  new  appliances  to  carry  forward 
the  work  of  missions  in  India — if,  distrusting  the  experience 
and  judgment  of  her  missionaries,  who  have  voluntarily 
exiled  themselves  from  all  that  is  most  dear  in  home,  kin- 
dred, and  native  land,  and  who  make  Hindu  character  and 
superstitions  constant  subjects  of  investigation,  and  the  most 
effective  agencies  for  bringing  Christian  truth  to  bear  on  the 
understanding,  consciences  and  hearts  of  the  Hindus,  the 


422  MISSION   SCHOOLS. 

great  object  of  life's  study,  toils,  hopes  and  prayers — ^if,  I 
say,  distrusting  the  experience,  or  wisdom,  or  fidelity,  of 
these  first  agents,  whom  she  has  commissioned  and  sent 
forth  to  this  work,  the  Church  now  sends  out  Deputations 
destitute  of  any  practical  experience,  and  yet  clothing  them 
*'  with  full  power  and  authority"  to  change  the  plans  and 
operations  of  the  missions — to  siqipress  schools  and  printing- 
presses^  and  lay  restrictions  on  the  time,  manner^  and  lan- 
guages^ in  which  they  shall  preach  Christ — I  care  not  how 
wise  and  good  the  men  may  be  who  constitute  such  Deputa- 
tions— if  the  Church  is  expecting  in  this  way  to  legislate 
more  rapid  progress  in  the  work  of  missions,  she  must  expe- 
rience still  farther  disappointment  and  defeat. 

Would  you  commission  two  of  your  missionaries  in  India 
to  go  through  all  the  missions  of  the  Board,  clothed  "  with 
full  power  and  authority"  to  make  such  changes  as  they 
pleased  ?  All  would  condemn  such  a  proposition  at  once. 
But  would  not  such  missionaries,  with  twenty  or  thirty 
years'  experience  in  India,  be  far  better  fitted  for  such  a 
Deputation  than  two  men  from  America,  with  no  missionary 
experience  at  all  ? 

And  yet,  count  me  not  opposed  to  Deputations.  If  you 
will  send  us  men  clothed  with  limited  power,  equal  only  to 
that  accorded  to  your  missionaries,  we  will  be  thankful  for 
their  counsel,  yield  them  all  deference,  and  be  glad  of  their 
votes  on  all  subjects  of  business.  We  will  be  especially 
thankful  for  their  sympathy,  advice,  and  Christian  inter- 
course, for  our  hearts  often  yearn  for  these  with  the  long- 
ings of  a  thirsty  soul  in  a  parched  and  dreary  land. 

But  if  you  clothe  one  or  two  men  "  with  full  power  and 
authority"  to  change  plans  and  agencies  deliberately  and 
prayerfully  adopted  by  ten^  tiventy^  or  fifty  of  your  mission- 
aries, and  that,  too,  after  long  years  of  careful  observation 
and  personal  experience,  while  bearing  the  burden  and  heat 
of  the  day,  you  may  expect  disaster  and  disappointment. 

And  yet,  even  such  a  mistake  shall  not  prevent  the  ulti- 
mate triumph  of  the  Church  in  India.  Mistakes  may  be 
made,  but  they  shall  all  be  retrieved.     Defeats  may  be  suf 


CONCLUSION.  423 

fered,  but  they  shall  all  furnish  valuable  cxperic-uce  for  the 
future.  Neither  the  difficulties  to  be  overcome,  nor  the 
inaguitude  of  the  work,  nor  errors  in  its  prosecution,  shall 
prevent  our  final  victory.  The  conquest  of  India  is  sure — 
not  because  we  are  wise  or  mighty,  but  because  "  they  that 
be  for  us  are  more  than  they  that  be  against  us." 

The  truth  of  God,  ui  its  elements^  as  well  as  in  its  promises, 
furnishes  an  ample  guarantee  on  this  point.  Christianity 
has  elements  to  subdue  the  world.  This  conviction  has 
gathered  force  and  strength  with  me  every  day  of  loneliness 
and  toil  and  trial  in  India.  The  Gospel  possesses  both 
inherent  vitality  and  aggressive  power.  That  was  no  un- 
meaning or  unphilosophical  petition  of  our  divine  Ee- 
deemer  when  he  prayed  for  his  disciples  :  "  Father,  sanctify 
them  through  thy  truths  Divine  truth,  applied  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  has  elements  to  humble  human  pride,  to 
alarm  and  subdue  the  sinner,  to  convince  and  convert,  to 
sanctify  and  save  the  soul.  It  has  done  this  for  thousands 
now  in  glory.  It  is  able  to  effect  the  same  for  every  devotee 
of  superstition  in  India. 

As  God  liveth  and  is  just,  his  truth  shall  never  fail. 
Every  enterprise  for  its  vindication  and  victory  shall  grow, 
and  gather  strength,  and  finally  triumph.  The  sympathy 
and  efforts  of  those  who  love  it,  and  the  grace  and  power  of 
Him  who  gave  it,  are  a  certain  pledge  of  victory.  Did  not 
the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  begin  with  a  clois- 
tered monk  ?  And  yet  it  swept  gloriously  over  Europe, 
and  its  genial  vitalizing  power  and  results  still  meet  us  on 
every  hand.  Was  not  Christianity  itself  cradled  in  a  man- 
ger, and  crucified  on  Calvary  ?  And  yet  to-day  it  is  frcsli 
as  the  morning,  and  going  forth  in  the  strength  of  omnipo- 
tence to  subdue  the  earth ! 

Oh  !  this  mighty  truth  of  God !  Drop  it  into  all  soil ;  it 
will  not  be  in  vain.  It  will  take  root  and  spring  up,  and 
stretch  out  its  arms  to  wrestle  with  the  storms,  and  the  sweet 
birds  of  heaven  shall  come  to  sing  and  dwell  among  its 
branches.  Thank  God,  too,  all  true-hearted  service  in  the 
cause  of  Christ  is  closely  linked  with   this  divine   truth. 


424  MtSSlON    SCHOOLS. 

Every  sincere  effort  to  bring  God's  truth  to  bear  on  human 
hearts  shall  have  a  destiny  coeval  with  it.  Like  a  sweet 
tone  of  music,  it  vibrates  in  harmony  with  divine  purposes, 
and  its  celestial  melody  shall  be  prolonged  forever. 

This  truth  of  God  has  elements  fitted  to  vitalize  heathen 
hearts,  and  animate  them  with  spiritual  life.  Not  only  is  it 
pure  and  elevating,  and  just  and  holy,  in  all  its  require- 
ments, but  its  sanctions,  in  their  effective  force  on  the  human 
soul,  attest  its  divine  origin.  It  deals  in  no  fancy  visions 
of  a  sensual  paradise,  but  in  the  glorious  realities  of  Jeho- 
vah's unveiled  presence.  It  portrays  no  fabled  Sisyphus, 
no  physical  pains  of  purgatory,  no  dreams  of  Hindu  trans- 
migration, but  God's  own  testimony  to  the  reality  of  "  the 
worm  that  never  dies — the  fire  that  is  never  quenched." 

This  truth  of  God,  with  its  solemn  sanctions,  finds,  too,  an 
answering  counterpart  in  man's  moral  nature.  It  is  a  blessed 
fact  that  man,  however  depraved,  still  retains  the  elements 
of  conscience.  It  may  be  defiled — it  may  be  seared  for  a 
time,  as  with  a  hot  iron,  but  it  still  exists.  Amidst  the 
deepest  moral  debasement  of  fallen  humanity,  conscience 
still  lives.  Not  in  active  powder,  it  may  be.  It  may  lie 
inactive.  Its  voice,  uniformly  unheeded,  may  cease  to  be 
heard  for  years,  but  it  still  lives.  It  can  not  die.  Sin  can 
not  destroy  it.  Death  can  not  annihilate  it.  However  long 
it  may  be  suppressed — however  deeply  it  may  be  seared  and 
defiled,  it  will  revive  again,  clothed  with  more  terrific  power 
for  all  the  abuse  it  has  suffered.  From  its  fearful  and 
avenging  elements,  have  we  not  reason  to  believe  it  will 
constitute  the  undying  worm  in  the  world  of  the  lost? 

Yes,  the  Hindu  has  a  conscience — weakened  and  defiled, 
it  is  true,  by  all  the  errors  and  superstitions  of  his  false  faith, 
and  by  all  the  Avicked  practices  of  his  corrupt  life — ^but  it 
still  lives,  and  under  the  influence  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of 
God  it  revives,  and  gives  its  powerful  testimony  in  favor  of 
Cliristianity. 

The  elements  of  God's  truth  concentrate  their  focus  with 
peculiar  brightness  on  the  cross  of  Christ,  or  rather,  they 
radiate  from  the  cross,  gathering  their  peculiar  power  and 


co^'CLUSIO^^  425 

glory  from  it.  Hindus,  with  no  less  scorn  than  Jew  or 
Greek,  reproach  us  with  the  folly  of  believing  in  a  crucified 
Saviour — one  who  had  not  power,  they  say,  to  deliver  him- 
self from  his  enemies.  They  tell  lis  that  he  was  hetrayed  and 
slain — that  he  went  down  into  the  grave  in  all  the  weakness 
of  human  nature.  The  fact  that  he  rose  again  in  the  might 
of  deity  they  deny,  or  leave  out  of  view.  They  seem  at 
times  to  share  in  the  fancied  triumph  of  those  who  led  him 
away  to  Calvary.  But  like  them,  too,  they  understand  not 
those  meaning  words  :  ^'■And  7,  if  I  he  lifted  up^  will  draio  all 
men  unto  me^  Glorious  prophecy  !  How  bright  and  blessed 
the  very  beginning  of  its  fulfillment!  Hopeful  believer, 
have  we  not  here  an  ample  guarantee  that  India  and  the 
world  shall  be  Christ's?  that  ''we  are  well  able  to  over- 
come it"? 

A  sinless  Saviour  is  the  felt  want  of  fallen  humanity.  For 
such  a  Saviour  we  search  every  system  of  false  religion  in 
vain.  The  Hindus  have  no  such  Saviour.  Amidst  all  their 
fabled  incarnations — amidst  all  their  330,000,000  of  fmcied 
gods,  there  is  not  one  to  whom  they  themselves  ascribe  this 
attribute  of  sinless  perfection.  But  when  slain  by  the  law — 
when  scourged  by  an  accusing  conscience,  the  trembling 
sinner  feels  the  need  of  such  a  Saviour.  The  Hindu,  when 
tis  intellect  becomes  enlightened  and  his  conscience  roused 
by  the  force  of  divine  truth,  feels  and  admits  that  his  only 
hope  of  pardon  must  rest  on  such  a  Saviour. 

Now  here  is  the  peculiar  glory  of  the  Gospel.  Its  divine, 
its  joyous  annunciation  is :  "  God  so  loved  the  world  as  to 
give  his  only-begotten  Son" — "  God  commendeth  his  love  to- 
ward us  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us^ 
Here  is  the  crowning  glory  of  Christianity  —  the  element 
which  more  than  all  else  distinguishes  it  from  every  religion 
of  man's  invention.  From  every  fragment  of  that  lowly 
tomb  where  lay  the  Son  of  God,  flashes  in  heaven's  own 
brightness  the  evidence,  not  only  of  man's  immortality,  but 
of  God's  iniinite  love  and  mercy.  Around  the  cross  of  the 
despised  Nazarene  gathers  a  glory  which  shall  shine  with 
ever-increasing  lustre,  while  God  reigns  and  redeemed 
spirits  strike  their  golden  harps! 


426  MISSION  scnooLs. 

"  Oh  !  for  such  love  let  rocks  and  hills 
Their  lasting  silence  break, 
And  all  harmonious  human  tongues  ** 

The  Saviour's  praises  speak." 

Who  can  wonder  that  the  early  disciples  made  it  the  great 
burden  of  their  preaching  to  bear  witness  to  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  ?  That  Paul  determined  to  know  nothing  among 
his  hearers  but  Christ  and  him  crucified  ?  Christianity  has 
become  a  blessed  fact  and  power  in  the  world.  Christ  has 
been  lifted  up.  His  cross  has  now  become  the  centre  of 
moral  attraction  for  the  universe.  Under  this  banner  the 
Church  is  called  upon  to  go  forth  and  subdue  the  world. 
Will  she  do  it?  Will  the  disciples  of  Jesus  heed  their 
glorious  commission,  and  put  their  hands  and  their  hearts 
to  this  work  with  resolute  purpose  ?  Will  they  give  their 
sympathies,  their  praj^ers,  their  sons  and  their  daughters,  to 
carry  forward  this  enterprise  of  heaven  ? 

Oh!  if  Christians  but  knew  their  privilege — if  they  con- 
sidered what  is  to  give  brightness  to  their  crowns  of  rejoicing 
in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus — what  the  peculiar  glory  of 
their  heavenly  inheritance — who,  who  would  not  count  it  all 
joy  to  bear  a  part  in  efforts  to  win  the  millions  of  perishing 
Hindus  to  Christ  ?  Who  would  not  pour  out  his  money 
like  water,  and  lay  his  choicest  treasures,  nay,  even  life 
itself,  if  need  be,  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  consecrated  forever 
to  this  blessed  work  ? 

Oh !  that  the  Church  of  God  in  Christian  lands  would 
arise  and  shine,  her  light  being  come  and  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  being  risen  upon  her.  Why  should  this  work  be 
longer  delayed  ?  Why  must  more  than  2000  precious  souls 
continue  to  go  down  to  idolaters'  graves  every  hour^  not 
knowing  that  Jesus  has  died  ?  The  truth  and  promises  of 
God  are  not  wanting.  The  Church  of  Christ  is  not  wanting 
in  resources.  She  has  men  enough  to  supply  the  heathen 
world  with  the  Gospel  without  dela}^  Let  political  or 
worldly  motives  offer,  and  the  sons  of  the  Church  gather  by 
thousands.  When  patriotism  calls  them  to  their  country's 
service,   are   they  ever   found   wanting?     When   political 


CONCLUSION.  -127 

posts  require  filling  in  Europe,  Asia,  or  the  remotest  islands 
of  the  ocean,  are  candidates  sought  for  in  vain  ?  When  Dr. 
Hajs  calls  for  volunteers  to  penetrate  the  frozen  regions  of 
the  polar  seas,  is  his  call  unheard  ? 

And  is  love  to  Christ  and  the  souls  of  men  a  passion,  even 
in  sanctified  hearts,  less  powerful  than  patriotism  ?  Are 
worldly  honors  or  worldly  gain  more  attractive  than  the 
crown  which  filled  the  vision  of  the  great  Apostle,  or  the 
joy  of  winning  the  idolaters  of  India  to  Christ?  I  do  not 
believe  it.  I  do  not  believe  there  is  any  deficiency  of  pious 
young  men  and  women  in  our  American  churches,  ready  to 
engage  in  this  enterprise.  I  believe  there  are  thousands 
Avho  would  gladly  volunteer  to  do  service  for  Christ  in 
India,  were  the  Church  prepared  to  sustain  them. 

True,  many  missionaries  have  been  cut  down  by  the  cli- 
mate and  diseases  of  India,  and  others  have  been  sent  back 
broken  in  health  and  disabled  for  life.  But  it  was  only  the 
traitor  spies  who  complained  of  Canaan  that  it  was  "  a  land 
which  eateth  up  the  inhabitants  thereof."  Are  true  soldiers 
any  less  ready  to  volunteer  when  they  hear  that  their  breth- 
ren have  fallen  in  battle?  Missionaries  sicken  and  die  in 
India,  and  for  this  very  reason  it  is  that  the  strong  young 
men  of  the  Church  should  go  in  larger  numbers  to  supply 
their  places.  If  the  Church  would  show  any  resolute  pur- 
pose to  evangelize  India,  she  must  greatly  increase  the  num- 
ber of  her  laborers.  Men  laud  the  fearless  navigator,  ex- 
plorer, patriot.  Is  it  noble  to  encounter  peril  in  a  worldly 
enterprise,  but  madness  to  suffer  in  the  cause  of  Christ  ? 
Is  it  glorious  to  die  for  one's  king  and  country,  and  not 
glorious  to  die  for  Christ  and  the  souls  of  the  perishing 
heathen  ? 

During  the  late  terrific  rebellion  in  India,  Great  Britain 
sent  out  some  100,000  men  in  a  twelvemonth,  to  re-subju- 
gate the  Hindus.  At  the  close  of  that  campaign  she  had 
more  than  110,000  men  whom  she  had  sent  out  from  Europe 
to  her  service  in  India.  Why  might  she  not  send  out  as 
many  soldiers  of  the  cross  to  conquer  India  for  Christ? 
And  then  if  America  would  add  but  half  iheii'  number, 


428  MISSION   SGII00L8. 

India  would  have  a  Christian  minister  to  every  thousand  of 
her  200,000,000  idohaters. 

Some  urge  that  we  have  heathen  here  at  home  as  a 
reason  for  not  doing  more  for  India.  And  yet  statistics  de- 
clare that  there  is  one  minister  of  the  Gospel  to  every  900 
of  our  population  throughout  the  whole  United  States ; 
v/hile  in  New  England,  with  a  total  population  of  only 
3,000,000,  are  found  5000  ministers  of  the  Gospel  I — one 
minister  to  every  600  people ;  and  these  not  a  heathen  people 
requiring  to  be  evangelized  for  the  first  time,  but  possessing 
all  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel,  glowing  with  the  light 
and  love  of  heaven  in  active  force  among  them.  May  I  not 
ask,  beloved  brethren  in  America,  to  contrast  these  facts 
with  the  position  of  one  lone  missionary  at  Kolapoor,  in  a 
region  of  unbroken  Hinduism,  seventy  miles  deep  in  its 
shallowest  point,  and  embracing  millions  of  idolaters  with 
no  one  else  to  care  for  their  souls !  My  brethren,  will  you 
not  give  us  more  men  for  India  ? 

And  ye  sons  of  the  Church,  looking  for  posts  where  you 
may  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ, 
where  will  you  find  a  more  needy  or  a  more  noble  field 
than  India  ?  If  ye  seek  for  ease,  or  wealth,  or  literary  fame, 
or  earthly  good  of  any  kind,  then  rest  ye  on  these  high 
})laces  of  Zion.  Your  surroundings  here  will  be  pleasant, 
and  many  a  good  man  has  coveted  them  before  you.  But 
if  you  would  seek  a  field  in  which  to  do  much  to  honor 
God — in  which  to  live,  and  toil,  and  die^  in  efforts  to  win 
souls  to  Christ — to  raise  the  degraded  and  save  the  perish- 
ing, who  but  for  you  would  never  hear  of  Jesus — then 
come  to  India.  A  nobler  field  for  Christian  effort  does  not 
exist.  "  Let  us  go  up  at  once  and  possess  it"  for  Christ,  for 
in  his  name  and  strength  "  we  are  well  able  to  overcome  it." 

Do  you  doubt  whether  resources  will  be  furnished  to  sus- 
tain you  in  this  work?  The  Church  in  America  has  money. 
She  has  ample  resources  to  evangelize  India  in  one  short 
generation.  It  Wc^'^  ascertained  a  few  years  ago,  that  of  the 
church  members  who  make  the  American  Board  the  chan- 
nel of  their  donations  to  foreign  missions,  each  gives,  on  an 


CONCLUSION.  420 

average,  onhj  seventy-four  cents  a  year!  about  two  mills  a  day/ 
Now  can  it  be  tliat  tins  measures  the  true  ability  of  these 
professing  Christians?  Is  it  in  this  proportion  tljat  they 
take  shares  in  bank  stocks,  raih'oads,  and  electric  tele- 
graphs ? 

One  cent  a  day  from  each  of  these  church  members  would 
bring  into  the  treasury  of  the  Board  nearly  a  million  and  a 
quarter  of  dollars  every  year.  x\nd  then  if  the  hundreds  of 
thousands  who  now  give  nothing  through  any  channel  were 
earnestly  enlisted,  the  present  means  for  prosecuting  this 
work  might  be  at  once  increased  ten  or  twenty  fold.  And 
where  can  the  disciples  of  Jesus  invest  their  funds  so  safely 
and  with  such  glorious  increase  as  in  this  blessed  enter- 
prise ? 

In  one  of  our  large  cities  are  now  the  fragments  of  a  firm, 
which,  in  1856,  found  the  splendid  profits  of  their  trade  to 
be  $1,300,000.  The  mind  of  the  chief  partner  became  dis- 
turbed by  this  rapid  acquisition.  Reason  staggered,  lost 
her  balance,  and  he  soon  became  an  inmate  of  a  mad-house. 
In  a  few  months  he  died,  leaving  wealth  to  the  amount  of 
$2,000,000.  The  financial  crisis  followed,  and  the  firm  be- 
came insolvent  I  The  acquisition  and  the  insanity,  the 
death  and  the  insolvency,  all  occurred  in  the  brief  period 
of  eighteen  months.  Now  had  love  to  Christ  and  the  souls 
of  the  Hindus  been  strong  enough  in  that  man's  heart  to 
have  drawn  from  him  the  half  of  his  wealth  as  fast  as  ac- 
quired, who  shall  estimate  the  blessed  result  both  to  him- 
self and  to  precious  souls  saved  in  heaven  ! 

Again,  think  of  the  more  than  $3,000,000  annually  ex- 
pended  in  supporting  the  Christian  institutions  and  home 
evangelizing  agencies  in  the  single  State  of  Massachusetts ; 
of  the  millions  expended  on  the  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
evangelical  churches  in  the  city  of  New-York,  and  similar 
facts  all  over  our  Christian  land ;  and  if  we  acknowledge 
the  golden  rule  to  be  our  law,  must  not  larger  streams  of 
Christian  beneficence  flow  out  to  heathen  lands  ?  Must  the 
dear  children  and  youth  who,  by  years  of  patient  and  perse- 
vering effort  have  been  brought  under  the  teaching  and  in- 


4S0  MISSION  SCHOOLS. 

fluence  of  Christian  trutli  at  such  a  dark  point  as  Kolapoor. 
be  turned  out  again  "  into  the  great  and  terrible  wilderness 
of  heathenism,"  and  the  whole  mission  be  abandoned  for 
the  triflng  sum  of  $2000  a  year  ? 

Let  no  one  imagine  that  a  missionary  is  disposed  to  com- 
plain of  his  brethren  for  expending  so  much  in  support  of 
the  Gospel  and  Christian  institutions  at  home.  No,  sup' 
port  your  schools  and  colleges,  j^our  churches,  and  pastors, 
and  agencies  for  home  evangelization.  They  are  the  glory 
and  safeguard  of  your  nation.  Give  to  them — give  largel}^. 
Let  the  munificence  of  your  gifts  attest  the  devotion  of 
large,  generous,  noble,  patriotic,  and  sanctified  hearts.  Oh! 
if  a  sincere  prayer  ever  goes  up  to  heaven,  it  is  that  which 
ascends  from  the  heart  of  every  American  missionary  in 
the  foreign  field,  for  blessings  on  "  his  own,  his  native 
land."  A  twofold  motive  presses  npon  his  heart.  He  loves 
the  land  that  gave  him  birth,  and  can  not  repress  an  intense 
desire  to  see  her  banners  wave  brightest  and  purest  among 
the  nations.  And  then  just  in  proportion  as  his  soul  groans 
at  sight  of  the  corruptions  and  debasement  of  heathenism, 
does  he  long  and  pray  for  the  preservation  and  prosperity 
of  the  "  Union,"  and  for  the  purity  and  perpetuity  of  tlie 
Church  and  Christian  institutions  of  America.  As  he  longs 
to  see  healing  streams  flow  hence  more  copiously  to  every 
dark  land  of  the  globe,  so  earnestly  does  he  long  and  pray 
that  this  fountain-head  may  be  kept  pure. 

But  if  any  disciple  of  Jesus  withholds  the  Gospel  from 
India  that  he  may  give  more  money  to  the  benevolent  and 
Christian  institutions  of  his  own  land,  he  needs  to  be  re- 
minded that  "there  is  that  giveth  and  yet  increaseth,"  while 
"  there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth 
to  poverty."  The  reflex  influence  that  has  come  back  from 
foreign  missions  into  the  bosom  of  the  Church,  has  already 
repaid  her  in  tenfold  measure  for  all  she  has  given  and 
done  for  this  cause.  If  the  Church  in  America  would  bring 
upon  her  own  land  a  withering  curse,  let  her  withhold  her 
money  and  her  Christian  sympathies  from  the  heathen. 

Is  it  not  time  for  those  who  have  been  bought  with  pre- 


CONCLUSION.  431 

cious  blood  to  mark  their  resolute  purpose  to  obey  the  last 
command  of  their  dying  Lord  by  pouring  more  adequate 
supplies  into  his  treasury  ?  I  believe  the  American  churches 
are  able  to  give  much  more  largely  for  this  work.  I  be- 
lieve they  have  resources  sufficient  to  support  every  mis- 
sionary who  will  go,  and  every  fit  agency  which  can  be 
pressed  into  this  service.  I  have  great  faith  in  the  piety 
and  energy  of  our  churches.  If  the  wants  and  woes^  and 
claims  of  India  were  rightly  understood  and  felt,  I  believe 
funds  would  flow  in  for  this  work  as  freely  as  they  did  of 
old  for  building  the  ark  of  God. 

I  have  great  confidence  in  the  sympathy  of  sanctified 
hearts.  The  generous  sympathy  of  unsanctified  hearts  are 
among  the  noblest  elements  of  man  that  have  survived  the 
fall.  They  gush  out  for  every  bleeding  Hungary  and 
down-trodden  Poland.  They  freight  ships  for  famishing 
Ireland,  and  cars  for  suffering  Kansas.  Let  this  sj'mpathy 
be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire,  and  what 
may  it  not  achieve  in  converting  the  world  to  Christ  ? 

Oh  !  if  the  eternal  verities  of  God's  word  are  not  fictions, 
then  must  this  Christian  sympathy  be  an  earnest,  living 
reality.  The  millions  of  India  must  and  will  soon  feel  the 
power  of  this  sympathy.  Blest  with  the  Christian  agents 
and  resources  it  will  pour  into  her  bosom,  and  touched  with 
its  vitalizing  energy,  gushing  fresh  from  the  sanctified 
hearts  of  these  agents,  India  will  soon  rise  redeemed,  re- 
generated, and  saved ! 

I  would  have  the  Church  of  Christ  press  forward  in  this 
work  with  the  joyful  assurance  of  a  speedy  victory.  We 
may  confide  in  the  promises  of  God.  They  are  bright  as  his 
bow  in  the  heavens — sure  as  his  eternal  throne.  W^e  may 
confide  in  the  ivord  and  spirit  of  God.  Divine  truth  has 
elements  to  subdue  all  hearts  to  Christ. 

We  may  confide  in  the  resources  of  the  Church.  She  has 
men  and  money  enough  to  evangelize  India  in  a  single 
generation. 

We  may  rejoice  and  thank  God  for  what  past  efforts  have 
already  achieved.     These  efforts  have  been  few  and  weak, 


4S2  JflSSIOX  SCHOOLS. 

not  at  all  in  proportion  to  the  ability  of  tlie  Cliiircli  or  the 
magnitude  of  the  work  to  be  accomplished.     And  yet  ni 
suits   have  followed,   lasting   as  eternity,    glorious   as   the 
crowns  which  are  to  adorn  the  brows  of  the  redeemed. 

And  yet,  we  may  not  rest  satisfied  with  these  results.  A 
mighty  conflict  is  still  before  us.  More  glorious  triumphs 
are  still  to  be  achieved.  What  are  the  thirty  or  forty  thou- 
sand converts  gathered  into  our  churches  in  India,  to  the 
nearly  200,000,000  still  held  in  their  cruel  bondage? 
There  is  ivork  here  for  the  Church  ! 

Ye  young  men  and  ivomen  whose  hearts  beat  with  high 
and  holy  purposes  to  do  much  for  Christ,  there  is  work  for 
you  in  India ! 

Ye  iveaWiy  men  who  hold  the  treasures  of  the  Lord  in 
stewardship,  there  is  work  here  for  you ! 

And  ye  praying  men  and  women,  there  is  work  here  for 
you!  for  the  conquest  of  India  is  to  be  achieved,  ^^iiot  by 
might  nor  hy power ^  hut  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord.' ^  Oh! 
if  there  is  a  man  on  earth  who  feels  the  need  and  the  value 
of  prayer  which  prevails  with  God,  it  is  your  weak  mission- 
ary struggling  under  the  ever-increasing  conviction  of  the 
magnitude  of  this  work  and  of  his  own  impotence.  But, 
thank  God,  Hinduism  is  not  invincible.  The  hardest  and 
most  depraved  heart  can  be  brought  to  yield  to  the  power 
of  divine  truth  and  love.  Let  these  elements  blend  more 
sweetly  and  effectively  in  all  Christian  hearts — let  the  tide 
of  Christian  sympathy,  interest,  prayer,  and  effort  in  this 
work  of  God  rise  high  enough  to  swallow  up  all  petty  differ- 
ences of  views,  to  remove  all  needless  restrictions  on  the 
agencies  employed — high  enough  to  flow  over  all  lands  and 
submerge  all  hearts.  Then  shall  India  and  the  world  be 
Christ's, 

"  And  earth  again,  like  Eden  crowned, 
Bring  forth  the  tree  of  life.'* 


MISSION  SCHOOLS   IN  INDIA. 


We  are  happy  to  acknowledge  the  very  khid  notices 
of  this  vohime ;  and  of  the  numerous  commendations 
that  have  come  to  hand,  the  following  will  help  to  indi- 
cate the  cliaracter  of  the  work  : 

From  the  New- York  Observer. 
"Mission  Schools  of  the  A.B.C.F.M.  in  Indfa," 

"This  is  a  volume  of  432  pages  12mo,  full  of  stirring  facts  aud 
incidents  illustrating  Missionary  life  in  India,  and  the  happy  working 
of  Mission  Schools,  with  a  neat  engraving  of  the  Mission  House  and 
City  of  Kolapoor.  It  is  written  in  a  warm,  earnest,  and  interesting 
style,  and  will  form  a  valuable  addition  to  our  works  on  Foreign 
Missions." 


From  Rev.  JOHN  JENKINS,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  for  several 
years  a  Missionary  in  India.  "^ 

"  I  have  been  looking  through  your  excellent  work,  and  have  been 
deeply  interested  in  the  candid  history  it  supplies  of  the  Missionary 
School  system  of  India.  My  views  entirely  coincide  with  your  own 
as  they  are  brought  out  in  your  work.  I  can  not  but  think  that  the 
publication  of  the  statements  and  opinions  which  you  have  so  indus- 
triously collected,  will  do  much  to  clear  up  the  vexed  question  of 
Hindu  Missionary  Education.  Besides  this,  it  can  not  fail  to  excite 
both  the  gratitude  and  zeal  of  the  churches  of  all  denominations  in 
the  United  States." 


From  Rev.  SAMUEL  D.  BURCHARD,  D.D.,  New-York. 

"From  an  examination  of  this  book,  I  am  favorably  impressed 
with  its  fidelity  to  facts,  its  value  as  a  book  of  reference,  and  its 
great  usefulness  should  it  be  generally  circulated." 


From  the  Bev.  D.  O.  ALLEN,  D.D„  Author  of  "  India, 
Ancient  and  Modern,"  and  26  years  missionary  of  the 
A.B.C.F.M.  in  India,  in  the  same  Missions  with  Mr. 
Wilder. 

"Your  work,  'Mission  Schools  in  India,'  is  on  a  very  import- 
ant subject,  and  I  am  glad  it  has  so  able  an  advocate.  Some  work 
on  this  subject  was  much  needed,  and  your  book  supplies  this  want 
better  than  any  I  have  seen.  I  am  surprised  that  you  have  been 
able,  in  your  circumstances,  and  in  so  short  a  time,  to  prepare  so  good 
a  book.  It  shows  that  you  must  have  carefully  examined  the  whole 
subject ;  that  your  knowledge  of  it  must  be  extensive,  and  yet  par- 
ticular ;  that  your  views  of  the  Missionary  work,  and  of  the  best 
means  to  promote  it,  are  clear  and  correct ;  and  that  your  opinions 
on  this  whole  subject  have  been  matured  by  careful  consideration  and 
prayerful  reflection.  I  hope  the  book  will  have  a  large  circulation. 
I  wish  a  copy  of  it  could  be  sent  to  every  Missionary  now  engaged  in 
the  cause  of  Foreign  Missions.  I  am  surprised  at  the  opinions  I 
sometimes  hear,  and  grieved  at  the  changes  which  have  been  made 
in  some  of  our  Missions.  These  changes  appear  to  me  as  great  a 
mistake  as  it  would  be  for  us  in  this  country  to  dismiss  our  Sabbath- 
Schools,  to  discontinue  our  Colleges  and  Theological  Seminaries,  and 
determine  to  have,  as  we  then  should  have,  only  an  ignorant  and 
unediicated  ministry  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  an  ignorant  and  de- 
praved people."  

From  Rev.  QEOKGE  POTTS,  D.D.,  New- York. 

"  Your  new  work  strikes  me  as  a  well-drawn  picture  of  the  benefits 
of  the  Christian  school-system  as  part  of  the  Missionary  work.  The 
details  are  interesting  in  regard  to  the  general  work  also.  I  have 
read  the  whole  book.     I  think  it  conclusive  and  well  written." 


From  Rev.  HOLLIS  READ,  late  a  Missionary  of  the 
A.B.C.F.M.  in  India,  and  author  of  "  God's  Hand  in 
History,"   "  India   and  its    People,"    etc. 

"  A  masterly  argument  for  Mission  Schools  and  native  education, 
as  preparatory  and  auxiliary  to  the  work  of  preaching  the  Gospel. 
It  is  the  work  of  an  earnest  man,  who  knows  whereof  he  affirms — 
an  able,  lively,  bold  exposition  and  vindication  of  one  of  the  great 
divisions  of  missionary  labor.  It  abounds  in  telling  statistics  and 
documentary  evidence  of  great  value. 


"  The  book  is  timely,  as  fitted  to  confirm  a  long-ago  formed,  and 
till  recently  unquestioned,  high  estimate,  of  Mission  Schools.  It  is  a 
collection  of  an  immense  amount  of  information,  and  the  presenta- 
tion of  an  array  of  arguments  in  favor  of  this  species  of  missionary 
labor.  But  it  is  not  so  much  Mr.  Wilder  that  speaks,  as  it  is  Mr. 
Wilder  that  makes  every  missionary  in  Western  India  speak,  and 
every  mission  of  the  American  Board.  Yet  the  volume  is  any  thing 
but  a  book  of  dry  statistics  and  arguments.  It  is  enlivened  with 
incidents,  anecdotes,  sketches  of  character,  and  of  oriental  life,  which 
commend  it  to  the  perusal  of  all  classes  of  readers,  as  instructive  as 
it  is  entertaining. 

"  The  time  has  no  doubt  come  when  the  diflferent  departments  of 
the  great  work  of  Christian  Missions  to  the  heathen  ought  to  have  a 
more  specific  advocacy.  The  patrons  of  the  work  need  more  dis- 
tinctive ideas  of  different  fields  of  labor,  and  of  the  different  depart- 
ments of  labor  in  the  same  field.  Mr.  Wilder  has  done  a  valuable 
service  by  his  very  able  and  exceedingly  interesting  exposition  and 
defense  of  the  educational  department.  To  this  department,  as  pre- 
paratory and  auxiliary  to  the  great  work  of  evangelization,  he  has 
given  a  just  yet  a  very  high  position.  And  he  has  done  more. 
While  the  main  object  of  the  book  is  well  sustained,  and  in  this  he 
well  deserves  and  will  receive  the  thanks  of  tWe  many  loyal  friends  of 
native  education  in  heathen  countries,  its  incidental  merits  are  not 
the  less  to  be  valued.  Few  books  on  India  present  a  more  complete 
portraiture  of  the  people  as  met  in  real  life,  of  their  manners,  cus- 
toms, superstitions,  and  especially  of  their  mental  and  moral  idiosyn. 
crasies.  Though  the  book  appears  in  perilous  times,  it  deserves,  and 
I  hope  will  have,  a  wide  circulation  and  a  great  multitude  of  readers." 


From  the  Nevtr-York  Evangelist. 
Mission    Schools     in     India,     etc. 

"The  author  of  this  volume  was  for  many  years  Missionary  to 
India,  under  direction  of  the  American  Board.  His  connection  with 
the  Board  has  ceased,  and  yet  he  still  intends  to  devote  his  life  to  the 
Missionary  work  in  India.  In  these  pages  he  puts  forward  an  earnest 
plea  in  behalf  of  Mission  Schools,  especially  in  that  country.  There 
is  much  in  his  book  which  will  be  read  with  deep  interest.  He  traces 
the  agency  of  schools  in  preparing  the  way  for  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  to  those  who  can  be  reached  only  through  the  children ;  and 


his  narratives  of  conversions  brought  about  through  their  instrumen- 
tality, are  some  of  them  deeply  aflfecting.  .  .  .  Mr.  Wilder 
seems  to  feel  deeply,  as  he  speaks  strongly,  and  is  careful  to  fortify 
his  positions  with  documentary  evidence  which  takes  up  considerable 
space.  He  gives  quite  fully  the  views  of  the  Missionaries  to  India 
upon  the  subjects."  

From  Rev.  B.  C.  MEIGS,  forty-two  years  Missionary  of  the 
A.B.C.F.M.  in  Ceylon. 

"I  have  read  many  portions  of  your  book  with  great  interest. 
You  have  done  good  service  to  the  cause  of  Missions.  ...  I 
have,  for  a  long  period  of  years,  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  cause  of 
Christian  education  among  the  heathen  children  of  India.  You  are 
aware  I  have  had  42  years  of  experience  on  this  subject,  and  I  can 
truly  say,  that  every  year  has  added  strength  to  my  convictions  of 
the  importance  of  beginning  with  the  children,  to  teach  them  the 
first  principles  of  the  Christian  religion.  ...  If  any  person 
has  any  doubt  on  this  subject,  let  him  spend  hours,  as  I  have  done, 
in  endeavoring  to  make  an  adult  heathen,  whose  mind  is  like  a  field 
all  grown  over  with  thorns,  and  briers  and  thistles,  understand  the 
nature  of  repentance  and  faith,  of  heaven  and  hell.  Let  him  see 
how  he  will  run  every  Christian  truth  into  his  own  heathen  mold, 
and  misunderstand  and  pervert  every  thing  you  can  say.  Then,  in 
contrast  with  this,  let  him  enjoy  the  privilege  of  preaching  to  an 
audience  of  young  men  and  women  who  have  been  trained  up  in  our 
village  schools,  and  if  he  is  not  convinced  of  the  importance  and  use- 
fulness of  these  schools,  I  know  not  what  will  convince  him.     .     . 

"  I  wish  you  much  success  in  the  sale  of  your  book.  It  is  a  very 
timely  and  interesting  volume,  and  appears  to  have  been  prepared 
with  care  and  ability."  

From  the  Congregationalist,  of  Boston. 

"So  far  as  the  question  of  policy  in  regard  to  schools  among  the 
missions  is  concerned,  we  confess  to  have  had  from  the  beginning  of 
the  agitation  of  the  subject  a  decided  leaning  to  the  policy  which 
the  Board  and  the  Committee  disfavor;  and  we  find  many  interesting 
facta  and  testimonies  in  this  volume  looking  in  the  same  direction. 
We  Avarmly  wish  the  author  well,  and  trust  that  he  may  be  permitted, 
in  returning  to  India,  to  demonstrate  the  beneficial  truth  of  the 
opinions  which  he  holds  in  regard  to  the  Missionary  work." 


From  the  American  Presbyterian,  of  Philadelphia. 

"  Very  interesting  extracts  from  Rev.  R.  G.  Wilder's  late  work  on 
Mission  Schools  have  at  different  times  appeared  in  our  columns  ; 
yet  no  extract  can  give  a  proper  idea  of  the  thoroughness  and  earn- 
estness with  which  the  author  enters  into  the  work  of  exhibiting  the 
importance  of  this  arm  of  missionary  service,  and  of  exposing  the 
errors  of  those  wlio  liave  disparaged,  and  in  part  discarded  it.  . 
He  reviews  the  history  of  this  branch  of  missionary  effort  in  the 
various  flourishing  schools  of  India  and  Ceylon,  and  gives  the  testi- 
mony of  missionaries  from  every  country,  and  of  intelhgent  English 
laymen,  in  their  favor.  Not  content  with  this,  he  passes  to  the 
Missions  among  the  North-American  Indians,  the  Armenians,  the 
Nestorians,  and  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  gathers  a  vast  mass  of 
facts,  such  as  repeated  revivals,  important  and  interesting  cases  of 
individual  conversions,  interest  excited  in  the  minds  of  leading  per- 
sons among  the  heathen,  etc,  which  make  a  powerful  argument  in 
their  behalf.  The  arbitrariness  of  a  deputation  interfering  so  serious- 
ly with  this  tried  and  faithful  means  of  effort  among  the  heathen  is, 
in  our  opinion,  but  justly  stated ;  while  the  author  shows,  tlirough 
his  whole  volume,  that  it  is  not  in  the  spirit  of  a  mere  controversial- 
ist he  has  written,  but  as  an  earnest  friend  of  Christian  Missions,  and 
as  a  sincere  well-wisher  of  a  great  institution,  whose  few  errors  by  no 
means  undermine  its  claims  to  the  regard  and  supi)ort  of  tlu*  Churches. 
The  volume  is  embellished  with  a  liandsomc  view  of  the  Mission 
House  and  City  of  Kohipoor." 


From  Rev.  E.  Burgess,  many  years  a  Missionary  of  the  A.B 
C.F.M.,  and  a  fellow-laborer  with  Mr.  "Wilder  in  India. 

"  I  regard  this  book,  '  Mission  Schools  in  India,'  as  one  of  the 
most  valuable  contributions  to  the  literature  of  Missions  that  have 
ever  been  presented  to  the  American  public.  It  is  intended  to 
illustrate  the  importance  of  Schools,  and  to  throw  light  on  the 
question  which  has  attracted  so  much  attention  since  the  late  Depu- 
tation of  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the  A.  H.('.F.M.  returned 
from  India.  And  it  does  throw  important  light  on  that  question. 
It  deals,  not  in  theory  merely,  but  in  facts  and  their  application  to 
the  work  of  Missions.  Mr.  Wilder's  own  experience  and  ob.servation 
furuish  many  of  the  fact.*?  of  the  volume;  yet  some  of  the  more  im- 
portant facts  are  derived  from  the  history  of  the  mission  before  he 


6 

joined  it.    He  gives  also  a  record  of  the  opinions  and  sayings  of  many 
missionai^ies,  and  others,  on  the  subject.     .     .     . 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  this  volume.     It  supplies  a  very  important  de- 
sideratum in  the  literature  of  Missions." 


From  Bev.  E.  S.  BOYD,  Professor,  Monroe,  Mich. 

"This  book  is  exceedingly  interesting  and  instructive  to  the  lover 
of  Missions  in  any  denomination,  as  it  shows  how  much  good  has 
been  done,  and  may  yet  be  accomplished,  by  Mission  Schools  among 
the  heathen."  

From  Kev.  J.  R.  YOUNG,  Plattsburg,  N.  Y. 

"  This  book  throws  valuable  light  on  the  great  question  which  has 
agitated  the  churches  ever  since  Dr.  Anderson  went  to  India  and 
broke  up  the  Schools.  ...  I  doubt  whether  Mr.  Wilder  could 
have  done  more  for  the  cause  of  Missions  in  any  other  way.  I  believe 
the -Lord  will  bless  this  book  and  make  it  an  instrument  of  great 
good  to  the  Churches."  

From   GEOKGB   ^WASHINGTON   MEARS,   Esq. 

"  I  have  been  reading  your  admirable  book.  I  wish  a  copy  of  it 
were  in  the  hands  of  every  one  who  gives  to  the  A.B.C.F.M.  With 
such  an  overwhelming  array  of  facts,  the  mind  could  not  long  be 
unconvinced  of  the  necessity  of  schools  in  India ;  nay,  of  the  utter 
impossibility  of  carrying  on  our  Missions  there  without  them." 


From   J.    S.    CUMMINGS,   Esq. 

"  In  my  judgment  this  is  a  most  timely  and  invaluable  book.  The 
conviction  is  almost  irresistible  that  such  schools  are  indispensable  to 
the  success  of  the  Gospel  in  India.  The  statements  of  this  volume 
will  find  a  ready  response  in  every  unprejudiced  mind  ;  and  all  who 
pray,  '  Thy  kingdom  come,'  should  wish  for  it  a  wide  circulation." 


From  Rev.  GARDINER  SPRING,  D.D.,  and  others. 

"  We  regard  this  book  as  a  valuable  addition  to  our  works  on 
Foreign  Missions,  especially  in  its  bearing  on  the  educational  agencies 

to  be  employed  in  evangelizing  the  heathen." 

W.   J.    HOGE, 
Gardiner  Spring, 
J.  H.  McNeill. 


BW7472  .W67  c.2 

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